Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano is under fire for being away from the city amid Typhoon Ulysses.
Soriano's whereabouts became an issue on Friday, November 13, as residents took to social media with calls for rescue as they dealt with widespread flooding.
Netizens found a post by Soriano's daughter Bea Soriano Dee, since deleted, showing the mayor away from the city on Wednesday, November 11.
In an interview with 24 Oras Weekend, Soriano said he had asked permission from Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba to leave Tuguegarao, but made plans to return on Thursday, November 12, as news of the crisis reached him. He eventually was able to travel back to the city on Friday.
"Umalis po ako rito last Sunday afternoon. I tried coming back on the 12th nung nag-umpisa na po ang ulan pero sarado na po ang Bocaue - ang NLEX. So 'yung regional director was giving me an update up to nagbukas po ng hapon ng 12. Hindi na po ako maka-travel sa gabi so I left Manila at about 3 o'clock in the morning. And I arrived here at Tuguegarao about 4 or 5 o'clock," he said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said Soriano's absence was a "clear violation" of protocols.
"Kung sinasabi niyang nagpaalam siya, kailan 'yun? Why would he leave? Kasi 'di ba 'yung bagyo tumama siya sa Bicol November 11. Tapos tumama ng Metro Manila November 12. Meron nang storm signals nung November 10," DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.
In a separate interview with Dobol B sa News TV, Soriano said 40 out of 49 barangays in Tuguegarao are still inundated by flooding. He said that though the flow of the water was still strong, the water level was slowly receding.
“Malakas pa po ang agos ng tubig, malalim pa po, pero umaraw-araw na po dito at bahagyang humuhupa po ang tubig. Pero mabagal po mabagal. 80 percent, more than 80 percent ang underwater dito sa Tuguegarao,” Soriano said.
The province of Cagayan has been placed under a state of calamity. —JST, GMA News