A complaint was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Cebu officials who were reported to be overseas, allegedly abandoning their posts, during the onslaught of Typhoon Tino.

The Cebu Provincial Government have submitted the documents to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the probe into the alleged foreign trips of some officials during the onslaught of Typhoon Tino.

“We have submitted already the request of the documents to the DILG upon their order,” Cebu Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces told GMA News Online in a message.

The respondents are Cebu 5^th District Rep. Vincent Franco (Duke) Frasco, Liloan Mayor Aljew Fernando Frasco, Catmon Mayor Avis Ginoo-Monleon, San Francisco Mayor Alfredo Arquillano, Jr; Tudela Mayor Greman Solante, Poro Mayor Edgar Rama, Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago, and Compostela Mayor Felijur Quiño.

DUKE FRASCO ISSUES STATEMENT

Duke Frasco, in an official statement, has accused the complaint to be “founded on erroneous assumptions and misrepresentations of fact and law.”

“To clarify, my travel to London was an authorized official mission as part of the Philippine delegation to the World Travel Market (WTM), one of the largest and most influential global travel and tourism expositions in the world. This event provides an important platform for promoting international partnerships, investments, and economic opportunities for our country, particularly in the tourism sector,” Frasco said.

“The travel was officially approved by the Speaker of the House of Representatives through the Secretary-General, consistent with established procedures for Members of Congress undertaking official missions abroad. Although it was an authorized trip, no government funds were used for this travel, as has always been my practice in most of my foreign official travels,” he cited.

“I arrived in London on November 4, and upon learning of the severe flooding that struck parts of Cebu, I immediately made arrangements to return to the Philippines the very next day. I secured the earliest available flight on November 5, departed London, and arrived in Cebu on November 6, proceeding directly to Barangay Cotcot, Liloan, to assist in the ongoing relief and coordination efforts with national and local officials,” he added.

“With respect to the local officials mentioned, their travel authorities were granted by the Governor of Cebu, who, under the law, exercises administrative supervision over the province’s local officials. The authority to cancel such travel likewise rests with the Provincial Government of Cebu,” Frasco pointed out.

As to the allegations pertaining to Frasco’s supposed “failure to fulfill statutory obligations” under the Local Government Code and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, Frasco pointed out that these are “legally misplaced.”

“As a legislator, my constitutional duties encompass representation, lawmaking, and oversight. Yet in times of crisis, I always try to extend whatever support and assistance I can offer to my constituents to the point of giving personally funded relief which is what my team immediately mobilized.”

“In the meantime, I will continue to coordinate with national government agencies to extend every possible assistance to the local governments units in their relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts for the people of Cebu and the rest of our affected communities,” his statement concluded.