Mindanaotoday.com | Bizman slams Oro brgy exec for dirt dumping
By: Jigger Jerusalem
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A local businessman has called the attention of the city government on the dumping of dirt which he claimed is mixed with solid waste materials in front of his property allegedly by a village chairman, in Barangay Lapasan, this city.
In his Oct. 14, 2022 letter to Mayor Rolando Uy, the complainant, Al Ignacer Redondo, has alleged that Jose Ligtas, the chieftain of Barangay 35, has been dumping truckloads of soil containing rubbish.
Redondo’s property, where his business headquarters is also located, is adjacent to Ligtas’ lot.
Redondo has also accused the barangay official of trespassing as the dump trucks that carry the dirt pass through his property.
Ligtas, Redondo said, is “dumping soil mixed with waste and odorous materials in his acquired lot in a private residential area located in Kolambog, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.”
The businessman, who is also the publisher of a local newspaper, said the dumping started Oct. 6, 2022, adding that the materials dumped were unsanitary and could affect the environment and health of the people living in the area.
“Since the area is private, we would like to be respected there was no warning or discussion with the other homeowners in the compound they just dumped the waste materials in the area. Being a public servant and retired policeman, we expected more from him, but he just ignored our concerns and complaints,” Redondo said.
He added their human rights were violated and that what Ligtas did was a violation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo-Cagayan de Oro that was livestreamed on Facebook Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, Ligtas has denied he dumped garbage materials in his lot.
“It’s untrue that I dumped solid waste there because that is my own property,” he said, then added, “There were waste materials that I dumped there as first coating since the area was eight to 10 feet deep.”
Ligtas noted that “as barangay chairman I am very strict when it comes to garbage. It’s unthinkable that I would throw solid waste because that’s the job of the [City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office] – to dump solid waste at the landfill and not on [my] property.” (MT)
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