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By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents

MAYOR Oscar Moreno, Vice Mayor Joaquin Uy and their political allies in the city council on Wednesday washed their hands before investigators from the Office of the Ombudsman over delays in the closure of the open dumpsite in Upper Dagong, Carmen.

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They instead pointed to their predecessors–ex-mayor Vicente Emano and his political allies who once dominated the city council.

Over DxIF-Bombo Radyo, Moreno said he told a panel of investigators that it was his predecessor and his allies in the city council then who did not act on the problem at the sanitary landfill in Carmen in violation of the law on solid waste management.

Moreno, Uy and councilors, including their predecessors in the city council, were summoned to Davao City in connection with a complaint filed against them for violation of the solid waste management law.

Based on the law, the open dumpsite should have long been closed down as early as 2006, and a new city dump elsewhere should have been opened.

Moreno said the fact-finding board of ombudsman checked the city dump, and examined it very closely.

“Kumpleto sila sa picture and areal view,” he said.

Moreno said the ombudsman wants to compel all local government to close down all open dumpsites even as it expressed serious concern over the continuings violations all over the country.

Moreno said he and other city hall officials told investigators that they merely “inherited” the problem.

“Wala gyu’y klaro nga programa ang previous administration,” he said.

He said he also explained to investigators that he sought the approval of the previous city council for a budget so city hall could close down the city dump and build a new one elsewhere “but there was no support.”

He said the previous city council, dominated by Emano’s political allies, only approved P250 thousand for the operation of the city dump.

Moreno said he brought the matter to the attention of the Solid Waste Management Council and early this year, after the complaint, was filed, a P37-million budget was approved.

“Gi-ingnan ko lage nga kung wala kadtong complaint, P120 thousand ra gayud ang pundo. We had asked for P250 million,” he said.

He said he formed the Solid Waste Management Board chaired by Xavier University president Roberto Yap that has lobbied for the approval of enough funds by the council.

“Even the Oro Chamber asked the city council then to approve my request but to no avail. The religious group, headed by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, also wrote to the city council but it was also ignored,” Moreno said.

Moreno also presented to the panel a 10-year development plan on the city’s waste management.

During the hearing, former councilor President Elipe asked the ombudsman not to include them in the investigation. Joining him were former councilors Adrian Barba and Alden Bacal.

Elipe, for his part, said it was Moreno’s fault because of the mayor’s alleged failure to submit to the city council a detailed program of works at that time.

Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr. denied Elipe’s claim, saying Moreno  submitted detailed documents to the previous city council.

“Kadtong proposed budget ni Mayor Moreno sa  2014 nga P2.8 billion, na-a na didto ang P67 million nga pundo alang unta sa  pag-sera ug pagehab sa ‘Basurahan,’ pero  pito ka oras  ang amongdebate, dis-appoved man gihapon,” Lao said.

The panel has asked former vice mayor Caesar Ian  Acenas and the others who did not attend the hearing to explain their absence within five days, according to Councilor George Goking.

Goking said those who were a no-show were councilors Nadya Elipe and  Leon Gan, and former councilors, Dante Pajo, Ramon Tabor, Adrian Barba, Alexander Dacer and Lourdes Darimbang.

He said lawyer Andrew Barba represented Acenas and his partymates.

Goking said the former councilors who showed up were President Elipe, Alden Bacal and Roger Abaday.

Councilor Annie Daba failed to come because she was on an official trip abroad, said city hall spokesperson Maricel Rivera.

With Moreno and Uy were councilors Goking, Ocon, Rueben Daba, Jay Pascual, Lourdes Gaane,  Romeo Calizo, Teodulfo Lao Jr.,  Enrico Salcedo, Ian Mark Nacaya, Suzette Daba.

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