Tulfo seeks suspension of Maco mayor, bgy chief
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo, by order of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, has sought the suspension of the mayor and a barangay captain of Maco, Davao de Oro for one month over the landslide that occurred in that town last February that killed more than 100 persons.
During the continuation of the hearing being conducted by the House Committee on Disaster Resilience led by Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong yesterday, Tulfo recommended that the said Maco, Davao de Oro mayor Voltaire Rimando and barangay chairman be suspended from their posts for one month.
Rep. Tulfo first filed a motion to slap administrative charges against the mayor and the barangay chairman because of their alleged negligence in the landslide, but Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez strongly opposed it, saying the punishment is too harsh.
Rodriguez said that the punishment for the two should only be a “reprimand” and not be charged with an administrative case.
But Tulfo did not agree to this because he believed that someone should be punished for the incident because more than 100 individuals died.
“Hindi po pwede palagpasin ho ito, may namatay ho eh. 102 po iyon. Ano na lang ho sasabihin ng mga manunuod ng hearing na ito na nagkwento-kwentuhan lang tayo rito? Kailangan ng result, we need result,” Tulfo said. “Ito rin ang nais ni Speaker Romualdez para mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga namatay doon.”
Adiong immediately called a caucus and agreed to discuss the decision of the opposing congressmen.
In the end, Tulfo said that they agreed that instead of being prosecuted, the mayor and barangay chairman will only be punished with suspension.
It can be recalled that last February, more than 100 people died due to the landslide in Maco after the continuous rains in the area.
It is also known that the area where the landslide occurred has long been declared a “no build zone” by the government, but the local government still allowed it, resulting in the said tragedy.
