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In a now-deleted Instagram photo, it shows the city of Tuguegarao, Cagayan Mayor Jefferson Soriano relaxing in Batangas with his daughter, former model and businesswoman Bea Soriano-Dee. Soriano has received criticism on social media for his birthday celebration outside the city as the city of Tuguegarao faced the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses. Image: Instagram / @ beibeidee
MANILA, Philippines – Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano sparked anger on social media after netizens discovered he was out of town to celebrate his birthday with his family during Typhoon Ulysses.
Filipino social media users re-shared a now-deleted Instagram photo of Jefferson’s daughter, former model and businesswoman Bea Soriano-Dee, posted on November 11. In the photo, it showed that both father and daughter were all smiles as they celebrated their birthdays in Batangas. .
But according to the mayor, who is a retired officer of the Philippine National Police, he asked Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba for permission for his trip out of the city.
The city of Tuguegarao is the capital of the province of Cagayán, which is currently in a state of calamity due to the massive floods caused by Ulises.
“Yes, I said goodbye to the governor because the typhoon did not hit him,” he explained during Laging Handa’s online press conference.
(Yes, I asked the governor for permission as the city is rarely hit by a typhoon.)
“There was no sign of a typhoon, so I asked the provincial government for permission. Umalis po ako dito (I left here) last Sunday afternoon ”, he added.
But when the typhoon began to hit the city, Soriano said he tried to return to Tuguegarao.
“I tried to go back on the 12th, when it started to rain, but Bocaue, NLEx, was closed,” he said.
(I tried to return on the 12th, when the rains started, but Bocaue, NLEx was closed).
DILG to issue show order of cause
Meanwhile, Undersecretary of the Interior and Local Government and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the department was verifying reports about Soriano’s alleged trip out of the city.
Malaya, in a text message to INQUIRER.net, added that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will issue a show of cause order to Soriano to explain why he was not in his city when the typhoon struck.
“We will validate the public’s report that he was absent and, if true, we are appalled by his behavior,” Malaya said.
“The mayor is the father of his city and he cannot leave his constituents in the middle of a disaster just to celebrate his birthday,” he added.
The DILG official then quoted Oplan Listo, saying mayors must be on alert 48 hours before a typhoon hits their area, and even after a typhoon to conduct relief operations.
“Celebrating a birthday is not a justifiable reason not to adhere to the Oplan Listo protocols,” Malaya said.
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