The Vice Mayor of Talisay, Batangas, the municipality where Taal volcano is located slammed the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) chief seismologist, Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., for not allowing residents to go home.
In an interview with DZMM, Vice Mayor Charlie Natauan said that he’s planning to talk to President Rodrigo Duterte to complain about the updates of PHILVOCS.
According to him, Solidum’s update about Taal is only causing panic to the people of Batangas, he also called the scientist’s statements as ‘opinions’.
“Ang plano ko as vice mayor ay ako ay humihingi ng kuwan kay Presidente Duterte na kung maaari ‘yung opinyon ng Phivolcs ay medyo baguhin kasi masyado niyang pinalala ang sitwasyon ng balita,” Natanauan said.
“Masyado niyang ano e, sabi niya mas malakas ang puputok na susunod, nag iipon lamang. Opinyon niya ‘yon…Nag-iisa siya (Solidum) sa kaniyang opinyon. Kami buong Batangas ang naapektuhan sa kaniyang sinasabi. Pag-aralan niyang mabuti,” he added.
Natauan then gave his own findings of the current condition of Taal, saying that it’s already impossible for the volcano to erpt again.
He also said that the people only needed boats to escape the lava from Taal if ever that it heightened its activity again.
“Pagkabagsak (ng lava) sa tubig, tumitigil siya dahil nababasa,” he said.
The Vice Mayor also asked if Solidum is already acting as a God because he seems acting like he has the capability to predict the activity of Taal.
“Wala pang nakapag predict sa buong mundo kahit scientist sa pagputok ng bulkan,” he said.
“Bakit naman nasabi niya, siya ba ay Diyos?” he added.
Natauan said that the dangerous erption of Taal is already things of the past.
“Ang history ng bulkang ito naglilindol muna bago siya pumutok eh ngayon naman walang lindol…Ako ordinaryong tao lamang pero ‘yung mga sinasabi nilang pagsabog noong araw lang iyon,” he said.
He then asked the government to let the residents back to their homes as no one could predict the next movement of the Taal volcano.
“Pabalikin na kami sana dahil wala naman nakaka-detect ng putok ng bulkan, di na nga nagalaw,” he said.
“Pabalikin ang tao kasi normal na. Ano bang gusto niya (Solidum)?” he added.
As of writing, PHIVOLCS is keeping the alert level 4 in Taal volcano and still disallowing residents to go back to their homes located near the danger zone.