DENR probes developer’s environmental compliance

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is looking into a property developer’s compliance to the conditions specified in its environmental compliance certificate following the collapse of a riprap that killed a boy in upland Mandaue City.

Engr. William Cuñado, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7), said he hoped to release the results of their investigation on Friday.

A team from the EMB-7 and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB 7) went to the accident site, identified as a landslide-prone area, last Monday.

Part of a riprap of Villa Sebastiana Subdivision, which is being developed by the Cortes-led AIDFAZ Development Corp., collapsed on Sunday on the house of Helen Magale, where the Cariquitan family was renting a room.

Two of the seven Cariquitan siblings were buried under limestone and debris. Vladimir, 19, was found by rescuers while his younger brother Vicente Jr., who would have turned 14 yesterday, perished.

Cuñado, in a telephone interview, said violating the ECC conditions is worse than failure to secure the certification.

“This is worse than not securing an ECC. Violators have to pay P50,000 for each ECC condition violated,” he told Cebu Daily News.

He corrected the previous statement of DENR information officer Eddie Llamedo that AIDFAZ has no ECC. Cuñado said they were still having the documents traced when Llamedo was interviewed.

Dive Mendoza, marketing head of AIDFAZ, yesterday showed to reporters all its regulatory approvals.

An ECC, a requirement for the issuance of a development permit, was issued by DENR to AIDFAZ president Teresa Cortes-Vasquez on July 15, 2014. Vasquez is a sister of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.

Mendoza also showed the Preliminary Application and Locational Clearance (PALC) in accordance with Sec. 4 of Presidential Decree (PD) 957 or Subdivision and Condominium Buyer’s Protective Decree) issued by the Mandaue City government on November 12, 2014.

The company was also issued a License to Sell and Certificate of Registration by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) last April.

HLURB regional director Alixes Roy T. Lopez said AIDFAZ complied with all requirements.

“All documents were in place. Their documents were complete on site and on our records,” he said in a separate interview.

He said his office received a copy of the city council resolution approving the development and its technical plans, including the site development plan, water system and sewage plan. Review and approval of the development has been under the jurisdiction of the host local government unit since 1993.

Among those considered for the issuance of a development permit, aside from the ECC, are the topographic location, susceptibility to landslides and an evaluation of the site, Lopez added.

Mendoza said they went to the wake of Vicente Jr. at the Upper Casili Chapel and committed to shoulder the burial expenses and hospital bills of Vladimir, who is still confined at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

The City Social Welfare and Development Services (CSWS) also extended food for the Cariquitan and three other families who were also renting rooms at the Magale house. A total of 23 individuals were displaced in Sunday’s accident.

Felix Suico Jr., city disaster officer, said they offered the displaced families part of a 6.5-hectare lot in barangay Cambogaong, Paknaan, Mandaue City as relocation site.