By Jigger J. Jerusalem
Correspondent .
A LAWMAKER from Misamis Oriental yesterday has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue a hold-departure order for officials of Verde Soko Industrial Philippines following their indictment recently.
“What is urgently needed now is a hold departure order from the justice department,” Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliette T. Uy said.
The Verde Soko executives are facing charges for violating Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990, for the transport and entry of the trash to country.
The Filipino and South Korean officials have been charged before a Regional Trial Court here, according to the Bureau of Customs’ sub-port collector at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
“According to intelligence information, there may still be one or two of the Koreans in the country, but I fear others have fled already,” Uy said.
“Time is of the essence here. That hold departure order is badly needed,” the legislator said, adding that “I also sense some problems may be developing in the court case, so I ask the new Prosecutor-General Benedicto Malcontento to take a close look at how the case is going in [Cagayan de Oro].”
It can be recalled that Verde Soko has imported about 6,500 metric tons of mostly plastic wastes from Pyeongtaek City in two batches last year.
The company said the tons of garbage was supposed to be used as material for its recycling facility located inside the Phividec Industrial Estate complex at Sitio Buguac, Barangay Santa Cruz, Tagoloan.
But the Customs claimed that the shipment was not properly declared as Verde Soko failed to secure an import permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Among those facing the charges were Korean nationals Chul Soo Cho, alias Charles Cho, Jae Ryang Cho, and Sena Na, and Verde Soko Filipino officials headed by the company president Neil Alburo.
Simon and Uy were named as complainants in the case.
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