Are the cell sites in lower Calvary barangay Apas causing cancer? (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
RESIDENTS of Calvary Hills in barangay Apas are asking Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to order the demolition of two cellsite towers in the area.
The mayor’s action is needed to implement a May 27 decision of the City Council to revoke the special permit to operate of Globe Telecom and Digital Mobile Philippines, known as Sun Cellular.
The council noted that the permit was granted without public consultation with the community or their consent, aside from health hazards which worried residents. Both firms were given two months to demolish the sites, a deadline which falls on Monday.
“Since the two-month time has almost lapsed, implementation of the resolution must now be done,” Porponio Lapa Jr, president of the Calvary Hills Association, said in a letter to Rama.
Barangay captain Ramil Ayuman said it is up to the mayor to order the removal of the cell sites.
READ: Cebu City Council revokes special permits for Globe, Sun towers
“The city planning office was already given a copy of the letter and the Probe was also reminded to remove the cell sites,” Ayuman said.
Sun Cellular has filed a motion for reconsideration but the council has not responded yet.
Cavalry residents claimed that over the past 15 years, more than 25 residents had died due to cancer-related illness they linked to radiation emitted by the two towers.
In previous public hearings, the Department of Health said health findings about the alleged hazards of cell site frequencies were “not conclusive”.
Porponio, however, said many medical reports about the harmful effects were available on the Internet. /UP Cebu Intern Julienne Hazel Penserga