Rep. Arroyo leads probe on Felisa dumpsite controversy
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental 5th District Congressman Iggy Arroyo, chairman of the House Committee on Environment & Natural Resources, is set to conduct today a congressional inquiry relative to the complaint filed by the group called Alyansa Kontra Basora (ALKOBA) against the establishment of sanitary landfill at Brgy. Felisa.
The congressional inquiry will be held at the conference room of the Provincial Governor’s Office.
Kagawad Ma. Fe Tresfuentes of Brgy. Felisa, one of the convenors of ALKOBA, thanked the initiative and effort of Representative Arroyo for taking cognizance of their complaint by conducting a congressional inquiry.
Tresfuentes wants the House Committee on Environment to subpoena the Dynasty Agricultural Corporation thru its President Ester Lopez who sold their seven hectares lot to the City Government for the proposed sanitary landfill.
“The ALKOBA wants to be clarified over the statement issued by the property owner that the 7 hectares property which was purchased for the landfill is also an existing dumpsite,” Tresfuentes said.
She further said that they are now ready to submit all pertinent documents relative to the acquisition of the landfill site even the price which the property owner offered to the city government.
The ALKOBA insists that the Felisa dumpsite is not suitable and feasible for a landfill based on the recommendation of the Mines and Geo-Science Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) because this will affect the city’s water table and it posed health hazards to Felisa residents.
On the other hand, Atty. Vicente Petierre III, Secretary to the Mayor, said that they are ready to defend the city government relative to the establishment of the sanitary landfill.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson manifested his intention to attend today the congressional inquiry saying that this will thresh out all issues raised by ALKOBA including the city’s solid waste management program. He said that the only objective of this inquiry is “in aid of legislation” so that there will be a legislative action as to the implementation of R.A 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.