NBI files raps vs. DENR, Customs personnel over imported Canada trash

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed criminal complaints against several government personnel for their alleged role in the entry into the Philippines of tons of garbage from Canada in 2013 and 2014.

The NBI filed complaints against Environment Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, who was the former chief of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB); three EMB officers, and four Customs personnel for graft and violation of the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.

The Office of the Ombudsman suspended Cuna for three months and indicted him for graft in June 2018 over his alleged mishandling of the imported Canadian waste.

Between May 2013 and January 2014, a Canadian company called Chronic Inc. shipped 103 container vans mislabeled as "plastic scrap" to the Philippines. The shipments actually contained "used mixed/unsorted/heterogeneous plastic materials," according to the NBI.

Canada did not reclaim the garbage until June 2019.

In their new complaint before the Department of Justice, the NBI alleged the EMB officers cleared the shipments for importation based on inadequate information from the importer and without the required prior inspection.

The Customs personnel were accused of releasing the shipments despite the "questionable" importation clearance.

EMB officers Irvin Cadavona, Geri Geronimo Sañez, and Renato Cruz; and Customs examiners Benjamin Perez, Jr., and Eufracio Ednaco; and appraisers Matilda Bacongan and Jose Saromo were named respondents alongside Cuna.

"The issuance of Registry Certificate and numerous Importation Clearance in favor of Chronic Plastics gave it unwarranted benefits as it was able to import scrap plastic materials without the EMB's conduct of strict evaluation and scrutiny on its application," the NBI said.

"As per available records, Chronic Plastics was able to import scrap plastic materials which turned out to be hazardous. Had these EMB personnel exercised due diligence in evaluating the application of Chronic, the entry of such hazardous wastes could have been avoided," it said. — MDM, GMA News