Ex-mayor on landslide: I have a fault

CEBU, Philippines — As bodies retrieved from the landslide-hit area piled up, former City of Naga mayor Valdemar “Val” Chiong, the father of incumbent Mayor Kristine Chiong, yesterday admitted having a fault on the tragedy that befell Barangay Tinaan.

He recalled that back in 2009, when he was still the mayor, residents were asked to move from the lot, a portion of Sitio Sindulan, which Apo Land and Quarry Corp had right to mine.

He said the affected residents reportedly sought help from him to ask the firm to cancel the supposed demolition.

“Wala sila niingon nga i-evacuate nang lugara pero ang ako ra gyung sala kay nihangyo ko sa APO kay demolishon sad gyud nang lugara. Duna nay notice of demolition (sa mga balay) kanang nagpuyo sa Sitio Sindulan... Kahibaw ang taga-Sindulan ana nga demolishon sila ug nihangyo ta,” he said in an interview with radio station dySS.

“Ila na unta nang demolishon kay magsugod sila og trabaho diha pero ang ako ra gyung sala kay ako man gihangyo ang APO nga dili na lang. Mao to nibiya sila anang lugara,” he added.

He also openly admitted that politics pushed him to respond to the appeal of the affected residents as he was running for another term.

“Namulitika man ko niadtong higayona kay hapit naman eleksyon... Sa tinud-anay lang, pamulitika ang hinungdan kay... nihangyo sila nga hangyuon ang APO nga dili ipa-demolish,” he said.

The former city official said he never expected the tragedy since APO has been operating in the city for about a century.

Baltazar Tribunalo, Jr., incident commander and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, also revealed during the live radio broadcast that at least five new cadavers were identified on Saturday, the 10th day of the search and retrieval operations.

That put to 72 the total number of fatalities.

Some 11 persons believed left buried below ground have yet to be found.

Operations will continue until Thursday or exactly two weeks after landslide occurred on September 20. But authorities may decide to terminate it earlier once responders recover all bodies.

He said unit heads also have to consider the health hazards posed to responders as dead persons may carry diseases.

Relocation

Meanwhile, the city government has also rejected one of two proposed relocation sites after being assessed as flood-prone based on the assessment done by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Mayor Kristine said the proposed site of Gawad Kalinga in Barangay Tinaan failed to meet the requirements as suitable relocation site.

The lot lies in between a river and a creek.

Chiong said the other identified site, which belongs to the controversial Balili property, may be the closest possible relocation, according to MGB, but mitigating measures should be implemented.

She said the city still has to inquire with MGB whether the lot, which is located near the coast, is risky to storm surge; the city also has to ask Phivolcs if it stands within a fault line.

If the second proposed site is found unsuitable, Chiong said, the city will find another area to ensure that the displaced families, especially those directly affected, will have a permanent and safe abode.

The city is also seeking guidance and clearance from Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 if people far from the landslide area can return to their homes already.

Chiong said that according to DENR-7 Director Gilbert Gonzales, the affected families will have to remain at the evacuation centers pending recommendation from MGB.

A team of geologists were earlier deployed to delineate the unsafe zone or "no build" zone.

Chiong said the city requested for MGB-7 to assist them in conducting ground visits and make geo-tagging to clearly identify which households have to be disallowed to return. —/JMD (FREEMAN)