Cagayan gov says filing of charges vs. NIA still being studied

The provincial government of Cagayan will study if it will push through with the filing of charges against the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) over the release of water from Magat Dam which residents blamed for the massive flooding in the province.

In a television interview, Governor Manuel Mamba said there is really a clamor from the residents to pursue the filing of charges. He admitted that he is not certain whether the local government will win the case or not.

"We will have to study this with our legal team just to effect change and for them to come up with... ang sinasabi ko kasi puwedeng hindi nila sabayan eh 'yung paglaki ng Cagayan River. Hindi naman maliit 'yung nare-release," Mamba told ANC.

"Sinasabi ko nga po there should be a medium-term and long-term plans to mitigate or even prevent these things to happen and worsen. Our problem on flooding is worsening every year. Kung nasabayan lang kami ng malakas na bagyo at nagkaroon ng uprooted trees that came down with water, pati 'yung Buntun Bridge nadali na," he added.

Earlier, NIA administrator Ricardo Visaya said the dam's gates had to be opened since last week amid heavy rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses to prevent it from breaking and causing a bigger catastrophe.

"Ang laki ng ating reservoir ng Magat [Dam] is about 4,800 hectares. 'Pag ito ang na-break, lumampas sa spilling level na 193 meters above mean sea level, mag-spill po 'yan. Masisira po 'yan at milyon-milyon po na tao ang maaapektuhan," Visaya said in an interview on GMA's Unang Hirit on Monday.

Magat Dam had seven gates open at one point on Nov. 12 and released water volume equivalent to 106.223 Olympic-sized swimming pools or around two swimming pools per second.

Visaya said NIA always waits for the weather bureau PAGASA's advisory before releasing water from dams.

For his part, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said proponents of a planned legal action against the management of Magat Dam over the severe flooding in Cagayan and Isabela are staring at bleak prospects.

"I have serious doubts if it will prosper," Roque said at a news conference.

"Number one, it really is a valley so talagang ang tubig papunta diyan and a scientific study has already concluded na ang primary reason for these flash floods: deforestation, illegal mining, and the contour of the river itself plus the fact that it has to be dredged," he added.

The huge floods forced residents to stay on their roofs as they waited for rescuers. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News