Cynthia Villar scolds ex-EMB exec over reclamation in Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park

Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday chided former DENR-Environmental Management Bureau chief William Cuñado for issuing an environmental compliance certificate (EEC) for a reclamation project in the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, a legislated protected area.

At the continuation of the Senate probe into the ongoing reclamation projects, Villar grilled Cuñado for allegedly dismissing the law that declared the wetland park as a legislated protected area in 2018 and mentioned that the late former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez even canceled a permit to reclaim the area.

“Si Engineer Cuñado, ewan ko kung anong kinonsider mo pag-approve ng ECC. You never considered the river, where the river will flow. Puwede ba ‘yon? Ha? Hindi mo kinonsider kung mag-flood kami, mamatay lahat ‘yung aming fishermen na umaasa sa Manila Bay for their livelihood. It was never considered?” Villar said.

(Engineer Cuñado, I don’t know what you considered in approving this ECC. You never considered where the river would flow. Is that possible? You did not consider if there will be flooding in our area or if the fishermen in Manila Bay will lose their livelihood.)

“Ang kinonsider mo lang 'yung nag-apply sa 'yo na kaibigan mo? 'Di mo kinonsider lahat doon, two million people will suffer flooding and then 300,000 fishermen in Manila Bay will lose their livelihood. That was never considered? Ha? I want you to answer that,” she went on.

(Did you only consider the application of your friend? There are 2 million people who will suffer from flooding and 300,000 fishermen in Manila Bay will lose their livelihood.)

Cuñado explained that he was just following orders from former acting DENR Secretary James Sapulna.

“There is an instruction from acting Secretary James Sapulna to proceed the case,” said Cuñado but he was immediately cut by Villar and disclosed that Sapulna was removed from the post and was replaced at that time because he refused to issue ECCs.

“Hindi na siya acting secretary noon, pinatanggal niyo. Ayaw niya mag-issue ng ECC e. So he was removed,” Villar said.

(He was no longer the acting secretary during that time. He was removed because he did not want to issue an ECC.)

Unsatisfied with Cuñado’s answer, Villar urged the former EMB chief to explain why they revived the ECC for the reclamation project in the legislated protected area, reiterating that this would cause flooding in the Las Piñas area and two other cities.

Cuñado tried to explain that there was a third-party review committee that deliberately discussed the matter but he only earned Villar’s ire.

“Ikaw ang EMB eh. Hindi mo na kinonsider 'yon? Ha? Bakit mo itinuturo ‘yung iba? Turo ka nang turo ng iba eh. Bakit 'di ka na lang nag-stay sa Cebu? Du'n ka nakipag-away, hindi mo na p, inakialaman ang Manila Bay,” she told Cuñado.

(You are the head of the EMB, and you did not consider that? Why are you blaming other people? You keep pointing fingers at other people. You should have stayed in Cebu so you are not dipping your fingers in the issues in Manila Bay.)

At the end of the hearing, Villar raised the need to change the process of issuance of permits in the DENR, saying this is “not good for the image” of the department.

“I don’t know what to do because it was already a legislated protected area, hindi pa rin pinakinggan (still, they did not heed our call),” she quipped. —KG, GMA Integrated News