Probe sought on wastes in Sta. Fe waters

AN environment group called on the DENR and the Philippine Coast Guard to investigate passenger vessels that dump human waste into the waters of Sta. Fe town, Bantayan Island, northern Cebu.

Environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa, who heads the Visayan Sea Squadron, cited complaints by Sta. Fe residents on the presence of human wastes in their waters in a letter he sent to the DENR and Coast Guard.

This came as a shipping company denied  claims by Sta. Fe Mayor Jose Esgana and residents of Sta. Fe town, Bantayan Island that they were dumping human wastes in their waters.

In a letter sent to Cebu Daily News Alexander Tan, president of Island Shipping Corp., said all their ships have sewage tanks which can be verified by “the proper authorities upon a sanctioned inspection.”

“In fact the Bureau of Quarantine which conducts regular inspections of all the vessels, had  issued all of them Ship Sanitation Control Certificates,” Tan said.

The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) started to take water samples for  water quality assessment at Sta. Fe town and nearby areas yesterday based on  a complaint by Sta. Fe Mayor Jose Esgana.

Lab results will be released two weeks later, said Eddie Llamedo, DENR 7 information officer.

Permit

“The assessment conducted is in relation to the Clean Water Act he said since it is not DENR which issues  a permit for septic tanks in the vessels,” he said.

Tan said they have yet to receive the investigation report of Sta. Fe’s Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) stating that their vessels have no sewage tanks.

Island Shipping Corp.’s vessels ply the route from Hagnaya port in San Remigio Town to Sta. Fe town in Bantayan Island and vice versa.

They are one of two shipping companies plying the route.

The Asian Marine Transport Corp. (AMTC) earlier said all their ships have sewage tanks.

Invalid

“(Their allegations) that human wastes were allegedly disposed of at sea is not only unfounded and erroneous but baseless and defamatory as well,” Tan said.

Tan said the statements of Capt. Medel Gomez on the issue were inaccurate and invalid. “He is not part of the company’s management but is part of the ship’s crew.”

Last month, Gomez told Cebu Daily News that five of their vessels didn’t have septic tanks but they secured ship sanitation control certificates from the Bureau of Quarantine.

Tan said Sta. Fe Vice Mayor Celso Espinosa admitted that residents were to blame for the human wastes found in their waters since they don’t have toilets with septic tanks.

Philippine Coast Guard-Cebu Station commander Weniel Azcuna said they will investigate the complaint.