By CARRIE T. ASPA

MASINLOC, Zambales — Residents of Candelaria and Masinloc towns are currently dumping criticism and accusation on each other over the issue of open-pit dumpsites located in both towns that are feared to be causing pollution of the nearby Lauis River.

Candelaria Mayor Napoleon E. Edquid fired the opening salvo when he guested recently on the TV show Kilos Pronto, which is hosted by brothers Raffy and Ben Tulfo over IBC 13.

Edquid said that he had reported to then Environment Secretary Gina Lopez in April 2017 that Masinloc’s open dump in Barangay Taltal has caused the pollution of Lauis River that separates the towns.

He added that on the same month, DENR Region III Director Lormelyn Claudio ordered Masinloc Mayor Arsenia Lim to immediately stop the dumpsite’s operations, citing violation of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which prohibits dumping of garbage in open pits.

Claudio also reportedly ordered the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to conduct an actual inspection of the dumpsite.

During the TV interview, Edquid said he was compelled to go public with the issue because of the continued operation of the Masinloc dumpsite and the apparent inaction of authorities to stop it.

Showing pictures of the open dump, he added that seepage from the said dumpsite goes directly to the river and affects the livelihood of fisherfolk and farmers in neighboring communities.

On air, the Kilos Pronto hosts called up the DENR and the Dept. of Interior and Local Government to intervene and assist in enforcing the order of Claudio.

The Tulfo brothers also fired up the controversy by asking Edquid during the live program to point out Mayor Lim’s affiliation with the Liberal Party, the object of bashing by supporters of President Duterte, which include the Tulfos. (Note: It turned out that both Edquid and Lim have recently shifted allegiance to the ruling PDP-Laban party.)

Counterattack
Following the posting of the taped interview on facebook and other social media platforms, the Masinloc administration rebutted Edquid’s claims, with municipal officials publicly explaining their side of the issue.

According to Masinloc officials, an existing dumpsite in Barangay Pinagrealan, Cande-laria, is nearer the Lauis River and could be the one causing pollution. They added that Claudio had ordered Edquid on June 5 last year to discontinue operating the dump, citing findings and recommendation by the Region III EMB after monitoring and inspecting the area.

Olive Gregorio, who heads the Masinloc municipal environment office, said that the dumpsite in Barangay Taltal has been found compliant with laws and regulations. She added that the Taltal pit is a temporary residual containment area where plastic trash are segregated and shredded for the town’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), while compost-able garbage is buried in another site at Barangay Sta. Rita.

However, on April 24, a team from the EMB, accompanied by Kilos Pronto and with Edquid and some Masinloc officials, inspected the Masinloc MRF and found that some garbage were buried at the site.

This led the DENR to close the Masinloc facility.