Palace refers garbage issue to DILG

Malacañang referred to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) the preventive suspension case of Mayor Pedro Cuerpo Rodriguez, Rizal, that stemmed from the dispute over the control of the two garbage dumps used by the Metro Manila Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to accomodate waste from the metropolis.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita confirmed that Cuerpo was at his office but said that he did not meet Cuerpo personally and just referred the matter to Deputy Executive Secretary Manuel Gaite, who handles most of the legal work.

Ermita said his office received the appeal of Cuerpo last Wednesday and is now with the legal division.

However, Cuerpo failed to get the intervention he was expecting as Ermita reiterated that it was premature for Malacañang to step into the issue.

“I told Gaite that I suppose this being a local government matter, it should be referred to the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) for its comment and recommendation,” Ermita said.

Gaite informed Ermita that the respondents in the appeal filed by Cuerpo were given five days to submit their comments and recommendations to his office.

The respondents Ermita was referring to were Rizal Governor Casimiro Ynares III, the members of the provincial board of Rizal and the private contractor Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist Inc.

Cuerpo was suspended by the provincial government of Rizal last Monday for refusing to implement its resolution ordering him to stop collecting excessive fees from the garbage haulers.

The municipal council of Rodriguez, Rizal passed  a resolution last Tuesday to stop the MMDA from dumping 6,000 metric tons of garbage daily to the local landfill.

Cuerpo said only President Arroyo could avert the possible garbage crisis because of the shutting down of the twin facilities.

Cuerpo and majority of the municipal councilors, barangay officials and local residents barricaded the twin landfills in Barangay San Jose, preventing garbage trucks from entering.

The mayor said the barricade would stay on until President Arroyo intervenes on thegarbage problem.  – With Non Alquitran