Osmeña lashes out at Lopez for meddling in landfill issue

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday lashed out at former Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary Gina Lopez for dipping her hands into the Inayawan landfill issue, saying she was actually of “no help.”

“She’s (Lopez) no help, as far as I’m concerned she’s no help…. She’s so presumptuous that she’s helping,” Osmeña said.

This was his reaction when asked to comment on Lopez’s scheduled talk tomorrow with Councilor Joel Garganera, the former council committee on environment chairman.

The talk comes after Lopez received a video message on her Facebook account from environmental advocates showing children playing at a slum area at the foot of the landfill.

Lopez, while still DENR secretary, ordered the landfill closed last October 21, citing its nearness to the sea, whose level allegedly reaches eight meters at high tide.

“I gave her the benefit of the doubt until I went to Kitakyushu, Japan and saw the landfill right beside the sea. I know for the past 500 years the sea did not rise by 8 meters here in Cebu…I question her credibility, I don’t question her sincerity but I question her credibility,” the mayor said.

Lopez had visited the landfill after being asked on her stand on the controversial facility, violated at least 13 environmental laws and did not comply with sanitary requirements.

Osmeña admitted he was glad that Lopez was no longer the DENR secretary as she was allegedly making “ridiculous” claims.

He, however, said he will not stop her from looking into the situation as the Philippines is a “democratic country”.

Earlier, Garganera received a text message from Lopez inviting him to have a talk after her prior schedule at the University of San Carlos-Main Campus, where she is expected to deliver a speech about the environment.

In the message, she expressed her dismay after seeing the video, which showed the children digging through trash and playing at the area amid toxic substances from the landfill, which discharges leachate, a toxic liquid from garbage that contains a slew of harmful chemicals.

Lopez, according to Garganera, vowed to help, adding that she would form an organization to look into these environmental issues and concerns. (FREEMAN)