Tomas snubs ‘K-trash’ probe anew

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is skipping for the second time the congressional hearing that investigates the unexplained entry of trash from South Korea into Cebu in January this year.

He said he could not attend today’s inquiry due to an important appointment at the City Hall.

“Because I have a schedule today… Sila nalang magbuot niana. What evidence they have, let them come out,” he said.

City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, head of the City Hall’s Department of Public Services, will represent the mayor in the hearing.

Yesterday, Osmeña questioned anew why he is being linked to the so-called“K-trash” controversy when he knew nothing about it.

“I have absolutely no knowledge about importing trash from Korea, so they are responding to a rumor that there is a conspiracy between the Koreans and Koko Holganza, the customs collector, and Jun Pe and me to import trash from Korea,” he said.

“I just don’t see why I have to spend so much time in answering this but if they can come up with something, then of course let them file a case, and I will answer it in court,” he added.

In a March 22 letter addressed to the Office of the President, a “concerned citizen” detailed how some officials were allegedly involved in the “illicit” K-trash transaction.

The letter alleged that former city councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe Jr., an ally of Osmeña, conspired with former Bureau of Custom-Cebu acting collector Rico Rey Francis “Koko” Holganza and a certain Edmond Roxas, the supposed Korean connection in Cebu and Davao, to transport to Cebu the 5,000 metric tons of trash from South Korea.

According to the letter, the mixed garbage, which arrived at the port of Cebu City on January 20 this year from Jeju port, was supposed to be disposed of at the controversial landfill in Barangay Inayawan.

However, the dumping did not reportedly push through as it was overtaken by the closure of the landfill. It was Councilor Joel Garganera who lobbied for the facility’s closure before the Court of Appeals.

Osmeña then concluded that Garganera is the one benefitting from the K-trash issue.

But the councilor dispelled such insinuations.

“The reason why I came into the picture is because the mayor insinuated that I am the only one who could benefit out of this issue and then he is trying to insinuate that I might have something to do with this letter. So most likely, my part in the congressional hearing will be more on the narrative from the time that the landfill is reopened and then up to the time I filed Writ of Kalikasan, until the landfill was closed,” Garganera told The FREEMAN.

It was Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia who sponsored the resolution before the House of the Representatives directing the appropriate committee to conduct investigation about the Korean trash.

Osmeña did not also show up during the first hearing, which took place last August 22. (FREEMAN)