3 Koreans face raps for trash import

TRASH PILE Officials of the company that imported plastic trash from South Korea in 2018 say the materials will be used in its recycling facility in Misamis Oriental province. —JIGGER J. JERUSALEM

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed criminal charges against three Koreans over the importation of several tons of garbage from South Korea unloaded at a port in Misamis Oriental province last year, a BOC official said on Thursday.

John Simon,  subport collector at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT), said charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990) were filed recently against Cho Chul-soo (also known as Charles Cho), Cho Jae-ryang and Na Sena, all of them officials of Verde Soko Philippines Industrial Corp. (Verde Soko).

Verde Soko, Simon said, had imported 6,500 metric tons of mostly plastic trash from Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, last year. The case was filed in the Misamis Oriental provincial prosecutor’s office three weeks ago.

Unlawful

Section 13 of RA 6969 states that it is unlawful to “cause, aid or facilitate, directly or indirectly, in the storage, importation, or bringing into Philippine territory, including its marine economic zones, even in transit, either by means of land, air or sea transportation or otherwise keeping in storage any amount of hazardous and nuclear wastes in any part of the Philippines.”

The complaint filed by Simon, Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliette Uy and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) included as respondents Filipino officials of Verde Soko.

Irene Meso, officer in charge of the Misamis Oriental provincial prosecutor’s office, said the respondents had submitted their counteraffidavits.

During an appearance in a provincial board hearing a few months ago, Neil Alburo, president of Verde Soko, told local officials that what the company had imported were materials for its recycling facility.

Alburo had said that Verde Soko would follow the decision of government agencies, such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the BOC, on the issue.

Two batches

According to Verde Soko, the imported trash shipment, which arrived at the MCT subport in two batches, were supposed to be used in its plastic recycling facility inside an economic zone managed by the Phividec Industrial Authority at Barangay Santa Cruz in Tagoloan town.

The first shipment, consisting of 5,000 MT, arrived in July last year.

Verde Soko officials claimed that the trash would be processed and turned into furniture and other items.

The BOC, however, seized the garbage as it was not properly declared and the importer had failed to secure an import permit from the DENR. This shipment is held at Verde Soko’s plant in Tagoloan.

Simon said the second shipment of 1,500 MT that arrived in October was declared “synthetic plastic flakes” but was found to be discarded and unsegregated plastic materials.

Lawyer Abbas Lao, legal officer of the EMB in Northern Mindanao, earlier said the shipment arrived before his office could issue Verde Soko an import permit.

Returned

On Jan. 13 this year, the 1,500 MT of plastic waste were shipped back to South Korea following an agreement between the Philippine and South Korean governments.

Simon said authorities were still looking for the Koreans although a warrant of arrest had already been issued against them.

He said the Bureau of Immigration must locate the foreigners and bring them to court so they could face the charges.

“They must be held responsible. A hold departure order must be issued so they can’t get away,” Simon said.