The local government unit (LGU) and the incident management team (IMT) of La Castellana in Negros Occidental are looking into the unauthorized decampment of at least 33 families or 89 persons affected by the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon.
In a statement on Monday, June 30, the LGU said certain persons convinced the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return to their homes in Barangay Cabagna-an without permission from the proper authorities.
A video posted on Facebook showed a group of IDPs, who had been staying at La Castellana National High School (LCNHS)-Senior High School evacuation center, boarding a truck with their personal belongings.
The person speaking over the video in Hiligaynon said the IDPs decided on their own to go home as it is very hard for them to continue staying in the tents, adding they cannot be forced to stay if they really want to leave.
In response, Mayor Añejo Nicor conducted an emergency meeting with town police chief and IMT commander Major Rhojn Darell Nigos, concerned barangay officials, and personnel of the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region.
Following the meeting, the municipal government posted on Facebook an appeal for the IDPs to return to the evacuation center.
“You are still allowed to visit your respective houses from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,” the LGU said.
The municipal government also called the attention of the persons who met and convinced the IDPs from Barangay Cabagna-an to return home and encouraged them to take down or delete the video posted on Facebook.
“We are calling the attention of the person who took video of the IDPs while getting back home and posted it on Facebook reels to [submit] a written explanation or appear personally to our IMT or Punong Barangay Bon Sacapaño within 24 hours,” it said.
Days before the opening of classes on June 16, most of the IDPs staying in school-based evacuation centers were transferred to other shelters.
The IDPs from Barangay Cabagna-an were transferred to tent shelters set up in the school covered court and the adjacent vacant lot of the LCNHS Senior High School campus.
Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island remains under Alert Level 3 since its explosive eruption last December 9, indicating that “magmatic eruption has begun and may progress to further explosive eruptions.”
This led to the evacuation of residents within the extended six-kilometer extended danger zone, including those from Barangay Cabagna-an.
La Castellana in Negros Occidental is the hardest-hit LGU, having the largest number of IDPs from at least five barangays, with more than 3,000 persons still staying in evacuation centers. (PNA)