Complaint filed vs Eastern Samar mayor over open dump operation

DOLORES, Eastern Samar, Philippines — A complaint has been filed against the mayor of this town for allegedly allowing the operation of an open dump.

Residents of Barangay Tanauan filed the complaint against Mayor Rodrigo Rivera before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) on Oct. 26.

The complainants said the open dump contained unsegregated waste in violation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

The law prohibits the use of open dumps for solid waste management.

Signatories of the letter-complaint submitted to DENR-EMB regional director Martin Jose Despi said the continued operation of the open dump affected the health of the residents.

The complainants said the dump drew flies and rodents to their community as well as threatened their source of potable water. They said some residents have resorted to buying bottled water to prevent contracting diseases.

A resident said the previous local government had approved a sanitary landfill project to replace the open dump. He said the present admistration reportedly did not implement the project and allowed the operation of the open dump to continue.

The DENR-EMB said it would conduct an occular inspection to determine the extent of  damage caused by the open dump to the community.

Meanwhile, Rivera said he has been addressing the problem cited in the complaint.

He said he was studying laws and possible solutions that could put and end to the problem.

Rivera said the complaint against him was politically motivated.

He said a former member of his political team, whom he ousted for “undesirable attitude” could be behind the complaint against him.