Graft raps filed vs Atienza over extended Pandacan depot operations

A Manila City councilor filed graft charges yesterday against Mayor Lito Atienza for allowing the Big 3 oil companies to extend the operation of their depots in Pandacan, Manila.

Manila Councilor Benjamin Asilo of the city’s first district, said Atienza may have violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when the latter entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last June with the Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Petron Corp., Caltex Phils. Inc. and the Department of Energy for the six-month extension of the oil firm’s operational permits.

Asilo said Atienza also disregarded City Ordinance 8027 when he signed the MOU.

Atienza welcomed the suit filed by the councilor.

"We welcome this move as it is the prerogative of Councilor Asilo as a member of the opposition to test the validity of the action," Melchor Monsod of the city legal office said.

Although the depots are located in Manila’s 6th district, Asilo said he initiated the filing of charges against Atienza because he feared that another Mexico or Chernobyl could take place and affect the entire city.

"Due to its inept positioning, we could face a possible Chernobyl disaster and the 1981 Mexican depot meltdown, which killed 600 people, injured 7,000, destroyed thousand of homes. This could also occur in Pandacan and affect other areas within a five-kilometer radius," the councilor said.

He said Ordinance 8027 provides for the immediate shutdown of oil depot operations in Pandacan, effective last June 29.

"This six-month extension of the permits up to December 2002 only manifests Atienza’s lack of concern to the welfare of his constituents due to the disadvantageous impact of the facilities," Asilo said.

Asilo pointed out that an ordinance cannot be superseded by the MOU entered with the oil companies and the DOE.

Under the MOU, the three big oil companies are mandated to undertake a program to scale down the Pandacan terminals which include, among others, the immediate removal and decommissioning of 28 tanks starting with the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) spheres.

The same MOU also provides that the oil companies also undertake commencing of works for the creation of safety buffer and green zones surrounding the Pandacan terminals.

Furthermore, the MOU also provides that the three big oil companies, including the operation of common, integrated and or shared facilities that are "consistent with international and domestic technical, safety, environment and economic considerations and standards."

Asilo said that all these have not been implemented by the three oil companies until now. – With Cecille Suerte-Felipe