The University of Southern Philippines Foundation has been charged for dumping garbage in a vacant private lot in Compostela town, northern Cebu.
Compostela police filed a complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) in relation to Presidential Decree No. 825 (Illegal Dumping) with the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office last July 20.
Also charged were USPF administration director Michael Mercado and personnel Sergio Tecson Taborada and Edmond Novabos. Romeo Oros, caretaker of the property, was also named in the complaint.
Taborada was arrested on July 16 and has been detained at the Compostela police station. Novabos and Oros are at large, police said. A truck bearing the university logo was impounded at the police station.
Mercado was not immediately available for comment. School personnel said the official is on leave and will not be reporting for work until Monday next week. Cebu Daily News also tried but failed to reach Dr. Alicia Tan, USPF president.
In his affidavit, barangay captain Joven Amor of Cogon, Com postela said he has been receiving complaints from residents about truckloads of garbage being dumped and burned in one of the properties of Norkis Trading Co., Inc. in the town.
The waste materials were mostly plastic wrappers, food waste, diapers, pieces of paper, plastic bottles, and other plastic materials.
“These waste materials emit foul and toxic smell in the area,” Amor said.
He said he asked barangay tanods to verify the residents’ claims and apprehend those caught dumping garbage.
Barangay officials allegedly saw a white truck bearing the logo of USPF, with plate number GMX-224, dumping garbage in the property. It was driven by Taborada, who pleaded not to be arrested and promised not to dump nor burn garbage in the area again.
Amor said he let Taborada off the hook for “humanitarian reasons.”
But barangay tanods saw him at least four times this month – on July 6, 7, 10 (twice in a day) and at around 10 a.m. on July 16. Taborada was arrested on his last trip to the property.
Taborada said he was only following the instructions of Mercado, USPF administration director, who said they had permission to dump waste materials in the area.
Amor said the university did not have permission to throw garbage in the property.
Paulino Estose, head of security for Norkis Trading, said in his affidavit that nobody was allowed to dump garbage there.
“Norkis had never allowed the throwing and burning of garbage from USP in its property,” he stated in his affidavit.
Compostela is about 27 kilometers north of Cebu City, where the university is based.