CEBU CITY – Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia described Ombudsman Samuel Martires’ reasoning behind her suspension order as “grossly misinformed,” referring to alleged quarrying operations in her province when she authorized desilting activities instead.
Garcia argued that Martires’ swift action against her was apparently a misappreciation of certain facts. She said the Ombudsman would have been more enlightened if he had carefully read the special permit that was attached to the complaint.
“It is not quarrying,” Garcia said in response to Martires’ statement as quoted by media reports, comparing the issue in Cebu as similar to what happened in Bohol when the local government sanctioned the establishment of a resort near Chocolate Hills.
“I really stretched my imagination trying to find some relevance, an iota of relevance at all between what happened to the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, where private resorts were allowed to be constructed there up and what happened in Manangan River,” the governor said.
“We were desilting in order to let precious water flow to the group and dam so that Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) could meet its commitments,” she explained.
Garcia said she would never authorize quarrying operations, citing previous instances of landslides in their province, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 individuals.
“The Ombudsman, I believe, because he never gave me the opportunity to respond, has been grossly misinformed. That is his tragedy, not mine,” she added.
Meanwhile, some sectors in Cebu expressed full support for Garcia.
In a press statement from Sugbo News, Capitol’s official news website, Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas and Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia joined inter-agency meetings, since the Mananga river passes through their respective jurisdictions.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also provided expert advice to the governor.
It was decided then that desilting shall be carried out in order to free up the springs of water which could no longer flow because of heavy silt that have accumulated on the riverbed.
According to lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, Garcia’s legal counsel, the question on the existence of Environmental Compliance Certificates or ECCs is not a problem since both the capitol and the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) have these documents.
Since part of the river is covered by the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, it was PAMB that passed a resolution approving the desiltation plan and authorizing the governor to carry out the same, Sepulveda said.
“Was it legal? Yes, because all concerned regulatory government agencies were on board and were always part of all decisions,” Garcia said, explaining she was simply trying to prevent an impending water and health crises when she greenlit the desiltation.