5 nabbed for chemical dumping in Valenzuela

Five workers were arrested after they were caught illegally dumping chemical wastes in a vacant lot the other day in Valenzuela City.

Superintendent Billy Beltran, Valenzuela City police chief, identified the suspects as Dennis Alfaro, 23, truck driver; helpers Jovani Tierema, 18 and Jonathan Narbaza, 20, all of Sevilla street, Catanghalan, Obando, Bulacan and brothers Juan, 49 and Osias, 32, both of Barangay Isla, Valenzuela City.

Police Officer 3 Edgardo Sumang and PO2 Virgilio Victorino, of the police mobile patrol unit of Precinct 5, also seized an Isuzu truck with license plates NDU-933 and marked "Ferlyn Junkshop" which was loaded with 15 drums of spoiled varnish and paint wastes.

Records showed the suspects were spotted at around 2:30 p.m. Friday by a concerned citizen while the group was acting suspiciously at a vacant lot in Barangay Isla prompting him to call the police.

Officers Sumpang and Victorino boarded their prowl car and proceeded to the place. They caught the suspects in the act while unloading the chemical wastes into an open pit at the vacant lot.

The suspects told probers they were merely following orders to dump the 15 drums of chemicals in the vacant lot.

Police said further investigation is being conducted to identify the owners of the chemical wastes.

The suspects will be charged for violating PD 825 as amended by RA 9003.