Ombudsman targets more dumpsites; illegal loggers, miners next

Environmental Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Office of the Ombudsman is targeting the closure of 100 more open dumpsites next year as it also sets its sights on perpetrators of illegal logging, mining and fishing after focusing on illegal dumping.

Environmental Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera said that 100 more local government units (LGUs) will face fact-finding investigation next year, adding that local officials still have time to clean up their acts after launching investigations on 50 erring LGUs this year.

Besides filing administrative and criminal complaints against the officials of the 50 LGUs, the antigraft body has so far ordered the closure of 29 open dumpsites.

Mosquera said the closure of all 50 sites will be completed “by November of this year.”

This year’s crackdown marked the first sweeping effort to enforce the 15-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which prescribes standards for waste disposal and segregation.

After focusing on illegal dumpsites, the Environmental Ombudsman would also begin cracking down on illegal mining, logging and fishing activities.

“We will eventually will go there. We’re just trying to complete the cycle as far as illegal dumpsites are concerned,” Mosquera said, adding that his office will coordinate with the team of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Arturo Valdez as they were “going over that in the coming months.”

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales in a keynote speech before the inter-agency national workshop on high profile environmental crimes, highlighted the need to address “environmental degradation by enterprising individuals abetted by corrupt public officials.” RAM/rga

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