Pepsi Cola Philippines in hot water for operating deep wells

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Water Resources Board (DENR-NWRB) has slapped softdrinks manufacturer Pepsi Cola Products Philippines Inc. a fine of P11.8 million for operating six deep wells in Muntinlupa City without the appropriate permit.

The NWRB ordered the company to pay a penalty of P11.58 million.

“However, this has increased to P11.8 million as it was only on June 11 that operatives of NWRB, with support from Task Force DENR Enforcers Metro Manila and the Philippine National Police, were able to enter the company’s premises and successfully sealed the illegal deep wells,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The softdrinks maker declined to comment on the matter.

“We cannot disclose details of our legal proceedings with NWRB at this point,” the company said in a separate statement sent to GMA News Online.

“We are still in discussion with the board and working on finding a speedy resolution to this issue.”

Archie Asuncion, head of the NWRB Litigation and Adjudication Unit, said the penalty imposed on Pepsi Cola Philippines was set at P1,000.00 per deep well per day, from Jan. 10, 2013 to June 11, 2018.
 
“It will be recalled that on June 11, 2018, operatives from NWRB, DENR and PNP raided the softdrinks plant in Muntinlupa to enforce ... Supreme Court decision G.R. No. 22166 entitled Pepsi Cola Products Philippines Inc. vs. National Water Resources Board, which has become final and executory on April 17, 2017,” the DENR said.

The Pepsi facility was raided on orders of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, through Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda.

The NWRB monitors and regulates the use of water resources.

Sealing “illegal deep wells” was done to lessen the depletion of groundwater resources in the country, it said
 
“The sealing was done after the raiding team disconnected the riser and submersible pumps of the deep wells from the power supply and computer box,” Antiporda said.
 
Citing a 2004 study commissioned by the NWRB, Antiporda said the groundwater was already at a “critical” level and its extraction has been causing “subsidence” or gradual caving in of the land area. —VDS, GMA News