Environment groups reject garbage deal renegotiations

Militant environment groups yesterday warned the government to immediately rule out moves to renegotiate the controversial garbage disposal deals with Jancom Environment Corp. and Pro Environment Consortium (PEC).

Rodolfo Sambajon, chairman of the fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) accused the President of merely "acting" when she refused to sign the Jancom contract last week.

Sambajon said Mrs. Arroyo actually turned down the agreement to keep First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo away from the controversies that would possibly come out, especially after learning that major owners of Jancom were golfing buddies of the First Gentleman.

"We will not take the President’s statement at face value. If she is firm in shooting down the deal, why did she order the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to renegotiate the contract with Jancom?" he asked.

"The Palace merely wants to get the First Gentleman and his barkada (group of friends) out of the mess before proceeding with the deal," Sambajon added.

The Kalikasan-People’s Network for Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) also slammed the contract awarded to PEC as being similar to the Jancom contract.

Clemente Bautista, Kalikasan-PNE advocacy officer, said renegotiation of the two contracts will result in massive corruption, privatization of a basic public service and the entry of transnational corporations in what is considered a "promising industry."

"The combined contract of the government with Jancom and PEC is worth $380 million. Commission could thus run to millions of dollars (and) good enough to fill an election kitty for 2004," he said.

Ester Perez de Tagle of Concerned Citizens Against Pollution (COCAP) claimed the contracts being pushed by Jancom and PEC will even lead to the importation of toxic and hazardous wastes.

De Tagle noted that Jancom and PEC are supposed to handle 5,000 tons of toxic and hazardous waste daily while Metro Manila only produces an estimated 8,000 tons of mixed waste, only 20 percent of which, or 1,600 tons, is considered toxic and hazardous.