Solon wants leachate leak in Rodriguez river probed

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker from Sorsogon province has vowed to have the alleged illegal discharge of garbage leachate into the Lukutang Munti river in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal investigated by the Congress. “I will initiate congressional investigation (into this). Kailangang kumilos ang DENR at Congress na magkaroon na ng treatment plant yung lahat ng basurahan sa Pilipinas (The Environment department and the Congress should work toward having a treatment plant for all garbage disposal facilities in the country),” said Rep. Jose Solis in an interview aired over GMA’s 24 Oras. In his report in 24 Oras, Jiggy Manicad said a month after the illegal disposal of garbage leachate to the Rodriguez river through pipes was exposed, the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill continues with its practice, though this time using a different method. The television report said garbage leachate the overflows from the facility’s ponds, which serve as the catch-basin for the wastes, are being leaked into the river, giving the river a bubbly appearance. The television report further said residents in the area have complained that the dumping of the garbage leachete into the river has caused health problems among their kids. The local government of Rodriguez had earlier urged Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to shut down the controversial 19-hectare landfill for “blatant violation and disregard of environmental laws” by allegedly dumping the facility’s leachate directly to the Montalban river. “What we’ve here now is an extraordinary case of human callousness for directly dumping toxic waste water to our river, which is one of the life-blood of our ecology. Definitely, as the chief executive in this municipality, I’m not going to tolerate such crime against our environment and people,” Mayor Pedro Cuerpo said. “This must be stopped once and for all. The good secretary (Atienza) should immediately close the facility,” he added. The International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist (ISWIMS), operator of the landfill, on the other hand denied that it is dumping garbage leachate into the river, saying the accusation “has no basis.” “Yung kanilang charge na puno na ang pond, walang basis yun (Their accusation that our ponds are already full has no basis),” said Andy Santiago, counsel for ISWIMS. Santiago added that the bubbly appearance of the river was a result of the sudden gush of rainwater into it. "Not necessarily putik yun o leachate," he said. - GMANews.TV