MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is unfazed by the possibility of being sent to jail for not complying with the rule requiring the submission of reports on the extent of damage in calamity-hit areas before funds for relief efforts can be used.
Speaking to typhoon survivors in Bais City, Negros Oriental last Wednesday, Duterte apologized for the delayed relief operations, saying a law prevented him from declaring a state of calamity that would allow him to use state funds to provide them their needs.
"I don’t understand this government - you still need an assessment, evaluation and report on the extent of the damage of the typhoon, the number of casualties and the damage to infrastructure and agriculture," Duterte said.
"But the problem with the law is it prohibits me from declaring a state of calamity unless there’s a consolidated report from all government agencies," he added.
Duterte reiterated that he won't follow the rule even if it means being sent to jail for it.
"Don’t threaten me with imprisonment because I’m used to being imprisoned. In fact, for the next few days I’ll be imprisoned," the President said.
Dutetre noted that the areas ravaged by typhoon "Odette" needed immediate aid and that he could not wait for the damage assessment reports to be completed.
"Tell COA (Commission on Audit) I won’t obey them. I’d rather go to prison. Stupid law. If the assessment can’t be completed in one week, that would result to an even bigger perdition because I can’t declare a state of calamity. That’s the problem," he said in a separate meeting with typhoon victims in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental also last Wednesday.
Duterte also assured typhoon survivors that help is on the way and that the government is working to address their concerns.
"Odette" has left more than 300 people dead and has damaged P16.7-billion worth of infrastructure. About 570,000 persons lost their homes due to the typhoon, which battered parts of southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Earlier this month, Duterte placed the regions of MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga under a state of calamity to hasten the relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts in affected areas.