Cebu mayors, Duke Frasco face complaints over London journey amid Hurricane Tino

‘It’s about reminding each public official that management is a duty, not a privilege to be loved whereas their constituents are in disaster, says lawyer Julito Añora Jr who filed the complaints earlier than the Workplace of the Ombudsman

CEBU, Philippines – Seven mayors from Cebu’s fifth District, together with Consultant Duke Frasco, who reportedly traveled to London whereas Hurricane Tino (Kalmaegi) battered Cebu and neighboring provinces earlier in November are dealing with administrative and prison complaints earlier than the Workplace of the Ombudsman.

The opposite mayors are Aljew Fernando Frasco (Liloan), Avis Ginoo-Monleon (Catmon), Alfredo Arquillano Jr. (San Francisco), Greman Solante (Tudela), Edgar Rama (Poro), Manuel Santiago (Pilar), and Felijur Quiño (Compostela).

Their abroad journey drew public criticism as hundreds confronted widespread flooding, landslides, and energy outages because the nation’s deadliest tropical cyclone, up to now, battered communities. On Tuesday, November 11, Cebuano lawyer Julito Añora Jr. filed administrative and prison complaints in opposition to the officers on the Workplace of the Ombudsman within the Visayas.

The mayors are accused of gross neglect of obligation, grave misconduct, dereliction of obligation, and conduct prejudicial to the most effective curiosity of the service.

Añora additionally alleged that their actions could have violated a number of legal guidelines, together with the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Code of Conduct and Moral Requirements for Public Officers, Native Authorities Code, and the Philippine Catastrophe Danger Discount and Administration Act of 2010.

“It’s about reminding each public official that management is a duty, not a privilege to be loved whereas their constituents are in disaster,” Añora mentioned in a Fb publish.

Journey authority

Based on Cebu Provincial Authorities information, the native officers secured international journey Authorities (FTA) from Governor Pamela Baricuatro previous to the storm’s landfall. Baricuatro confirmed the journey approvals adopted commonplace process and that the provincial authorities had coordinated early warnings and evacuation efforts with all municipalities.

Baricuatro, as quoted by The Freeman,famous that whereas touring is the prerogative of elected officers, they continue to be accountable to their constituents. “You already know, that would have been averted. Ila unhappy na prerogative, they’re answerable to the individuals. It’s not for me to say, however ilaha unhappy ‘na,” Baricuatro mentioned.

(You already know, that would have been averted. It’s additionally their prerogative — they’re answerable to the individuals. It’s not for me to say, however it’s theirs as effectively.)

Borbon Mayor Nico Dotillos was the one native official who canceled his deliberate abroad journey, citing “unexpected circumstances such because the calamity we face proper now” he mentioned in a letter to the Cebu governor dated October 27.

Underneath the Native Authorities Code, governors, mayors, and native council members are required to steer catastrophe response and aid operations of their areas. In the meantime, the Philippine Catastrophe Danger Discount and Administration Act mandates that native officers oversee and handle their catastrophe threat discount workplaces throughout calamities.

Officers discovered responsible of neglecting these duties could face penalties starting from P50,000 to P500,000 and 6 to 12 years imprisonment. In extreme circumstances, they can be completely barred from holding public workplace.

Deadliest tropical cyclone

Based on the November 11 state of affairs replace from the Workplace of Civil Protection (OCD), Tino claimed 232 lives nationwide. Cebu recorded essentially the most fatalities with 150, together with 36 in Liloan, the place the very best variety of deaths within the province was recorded.

The storm made a complete of eight landfalls earlier than leaving the Philippine Space of Duty on November 6, hitting areas nonetheless recovering from a magnitude 6.9 earthquake. Landslides and extreme flooding precipitated a number of deaths, with residents saying the floods had been worse than these from Hurricane Odette in 2021. (READ: After earthquake, Cebu contends with a storm ‘harsher’ than Odette)

Previous to the storm’s landfall, the Cebu Provincial Catastrophe Danger Discount and Administration Workplace (PDRRMO) had raised alert ranges to crimson, suspended lessons from November 3 to five, and coordinated evacuation efforts throughout Cebu, as indicated in official climate forecasts exhibiting the storm’s path affecting Visayas. – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a senior political science scholar at Cebu Regular College (CNU) and an alumna of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2025.