NEWSFLASH

COURT STOPS OPENING OF MONTALBAN LANDFILL

San Mateo, Rizal, Jan. 17, 2002 - A Rizal regional trial court yesterday prevented the Metro Manila Development Authority from using the newly opened sanitary landfill in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal.

Reacting to this latest development, an angry MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos said politics was behind the temporary restraining order issued by Judge Jose Reyes Jr. of the San Mateo regional trial court.

"I don't understand this...I don't know why they should object to this, ayaw nilang magbago, ang gusto nila yung baboy, yung salaula...Parang mas gusto nila ang baboy na paraan," Abalos said.

The TRO was issued on the basis of an ordinance prohibiting the dumping of Metro Manila's garbage in any part of Rizal.

The MMDA was originally scheduled to start using the landfill today.

Abalos said Rodriguez residents and other cause-oriented groups were being used by political opponents of Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo, most of whom were defeated in the last local elections and were just riding on the issue.

Among the prominent officials objecting to the opening of the landfill are Rep. Isidro Rodriguez Jr.; former Rodriguez mayor Joselito San Diego and former vice-mayor Joselito San Diego and former vice-mayor Joselito San Jose.

Abalos assailed them for expressing their opposition to the project, which according to Mayor Cuerpo is expected to generate P4 billion in three years for his town.

He also said that all Rizal towns are using open dumpsites which are against existing environmental laws.

"Walang reklamo with all the violations committed in Rizal until this," he said. "If any private citizen ang mas tama na sa DENR, e alisin na yang DENR," Abalos angrily said in denouncing the groups which have vowed to barricade any MMDA trucks passing to the landfill, in reference to a go-signal the MMDA received from the DENR.

Abalos described Cuerpo as just "a mayor who only wants to improve his town."

Rep. Rodriguez was also challenged by the MMDA chief to view "hundreds of open dumpsites" in the province. "Ito ba ang gusto ni Cong. Rodriguez? 'Yung salaula? 'Yung Baboy? Is this what he wants? Is he in favor of all the open dumpsites in Rizal?", Abalos asked.

Abalos argued that the garbage would have minimal impact on the environment since it would be residual waste from the MMDA's three material education facilities. According to Abalos, this residual waste has no smell since it has already been chemically treated and merely resembles compost material.

Army engineers recently finished a P130 million two-lane road connecting the landfill located 20 kilometers from Rodriguez town to the MMDA transfer station in Payatas, Quezon City. It was built by Army engineers after civilian contractors backed out due to threats from NPA insurgents.