The Vice Mayor of Talisay, Batangas, is not afraid of the possible consequences that he could face for encouraging the evacuees to go back to their homes despite the lockdown order from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In an interview with News5, Vice Mayor Charlie Natanauan insisted that the advisory of Phivolcs is only based on the ‘opinion’ of their chief, Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., and they’re only giving fears to the evacuees.
“Sinabi niyang lalakas pa lalo ang putok, edi lalong natakot [ang mga tao] parang hindi mo sila kinukumbinsi na ‘pagdating ng panahon, yan ay lilipas din’ eh ang gusto niyo ay palakasin ng palakasin ang putok eh,” Natanauan said.
Natanuan then pointed out that the Taal lake will protect them from the possible lava flow coming from the volcano.
The Vice Mayor, despite the warning of DILG, also admitted during the interview that he’s “encouraging”
the people to go home and defy the orders of the government.
If they’re still afraid to live near the volcano, Natanauan said that the residents should start to clean their homes now.
He also asked the Batangas Electric Cooperative, Inc.(BATELEC) to bring back the electricity in Talisay.
When the media asked who’s going to be blamed if some residents face their demise because of encouraging them to go home despite the warnings from the government, this is what Natanauan said:
“Ang masasabi ko diyan, kung mangyaring pumutok ng malakas yan, nandito ako, nmatay sila, nmatay ako, wala silang makakasuhan, ptay na kaming lahat,”
“Kung kmtayan ay ating katatakutan, wala tayong karapatan mabuhay sa mundo,”
He then repeated his calls to the authorities not to discourage the people from coming back to their homes.
“Hindi ho magandang pakingan, mas tinatakot niyo po ang tao… kaysa sa kumbinsihin niyo na makabalik at maka move on,”
“Isantabi nalang natin, kunwari hindi na pumutok ang bulkan, mag abang na uli tayo ng panibago [pagputok],” he added.
In a press conference, Phivolcs already said that they’re going to respect the feelings of the Vice Mayor, however, they insisted that their advisors are being backed by data and scientific study.
Natanauan also captured the attention of some government officials from DILG and PNP.
Calabarzon PNP chief Vicente Danao even said that he may throw the Vice Mayor in the volcano if he insisted in defying the orders of the government.
“Kay vice mayor po ng Talisay, nakikiusap po ako sa inyo bilang isang vice mayor ng lungsod o ng isang town dyan na please tumulong po kayo, wag na po kayo mag-udyok na pabalikin ‘yan.” Danao said.
“Kasi po pag ‘yan ay may nangyari, dahil sa pagu-udyok ninyo, pag nakita pa kitang buhay, iaalay kita sa bulkan na ‘yan,” he added.