No city win-win solution yet on landfill petition
Four days before they will appear at a hearing on the Writ of Kalikasan petition he filed, City Councilor Joel Garganera and other city officials have not come up yet with a win-win solution or an amicable settlement, as urged by the Court of Appeals.
Garganera, petitioner of a Temporary Environmental Protection Order in connection with the Writ of Kalikasan he requested from the court, said he is still waiting to talk with the executive department to discuss a possible winwin solution.
“Ang iyaha (Mayor Tomas Osmeña) lang gyud is dili lang gyud siya mousab sa iyang sulti nga we’ll stick it out sa Inayawan. Nahadlok ko nga karon umaabot nga Lunes, we have around two working days, wala pay message niabot nako nga aduna tay meeting. But, I’m always open,” he said.
Garganera questioned the move of the mayor in proposing a budget of P600 million for the rehabilitation and closure plan of the landfill and over P120 million for the rental of heavy equipment for garbage collection and disposal under the P7.2-billion proposed Annual Budget for 2017.
Garganera said the executive department looked so firm on its stand to operate the landfill that allegedly has several environmental law violations.
He said he was able to talk to City lawyer Joseph Bernaldez and Department of Public Services head Roberto Cabarrubias on the possible date of the meeting but he was not informed of the schedule yet.
The CA has deferred issuance of the TEPO to give both parties of the case time to come up with a compromise agreement.
The next hearing is set for Monday, October 24, with Osmeña expected to be present.
Bernaldez said the mayor had intended to personally invite the justices for them to inspect the landfill so that they would see for themselves the real state of the area.
Bernaldez said the city has already filed its answer on the Writ of Kalikasan petition, as ordered by the CA.
He, however, declined to discuss what their arguments are since they are now being studied by the court.
“We will just wait for any action from the Court of Appeals, with respect to our return,” he told reporters.
“This coming October 24, as you know, the honorable mayor has already signified his intention to attend the hearing. He said he is willing to answer the questions from the justices of the court of appeals,” he added.
Garganera, for his part, said he would also want the justices to inspect the area so that they could smell the stench.
He said he was likewise hoping Department of Health representatives and the owner of the private landfill in Consolacion would be present during the hearing on Monday.—
Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/RHM