Batangas town mayor dismissed over illegal dump

BATANGAS – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of a town mayor in this province.

Mayor Antonio Jose Barcelon of Nasugbu was found liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty for allowing a private entity to engage in quarrying at the municipal dump without authority from the Sangguniang Bayan, according to a 16page decision signed on July 4 by Gerard Mosquera, environmental ombudsman and deputy ombudsman for Luzon, and former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Based on the records of the case, the municipal government entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with R.S. Pamintuan Construction Supply in 2009 for the clearing and excavation of the dump.

However, inspection by the provincial environment and natural resources officer showed that truckloads of rock materials were transported by the contractor without permits from concerned government agencies.

Another inspection showed that the rock materials include domestic waste.

In his counter-affidavit, Barcelon argued that the MOA was not for quarrying, but to clear rocks and boulders at the dump.

The ombudsman said Barcelon neglected his duty as local chief executive when he did not close the dump, which is in violation of Section 37 of Republic Act 9003 or An Act Providing for an Ecological Solid Waste Management Program.

“Barcelona was mayor of Nasugbu from 2004 to 2013 and from 2016 to present. In his 11 years as local chief executive, he failed to facilitate the closure of the open dump, a task which should have been completed by Feb. 15, 2006 at the latest. Despite repeated demands by appropriate agencies and his commitments to rehabilitate the area, the operation of the open dump continued,” the ombudsman said.

Joseph Soriano, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Batangas operations officer, said they have yet to receive a copy of the dismissal order.