Cuerpo: Landfill dispute not for the money

Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo clarified yesterday that his fight over the landfill is not for the money but aimed primarily to protect the rights of his constituents.

“First of all, we are fighting for our rights as residents of Rodriguez. The media has portrayed us in many different ways, but it is important to note that this is not about money, but about our rights,” said Cuerpo.

He said the issue had been muddled by inconsistent reports, loose talk and officials speaking without fully understanding what the people are fighting for.

Rodriguez and the Rizal provincial government are fighting over control of the Montalban Solid Waste Disposal Facility and the Montalban Methane Power Plant.

Cuerpo was suspended for six months by the Rizal provincial government for ignoring a board resolution to stop collecting fees from garbage haulers.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita intervened last week and ordered a stay in the implementation of the suspension order pending a review of Cuerpo’s appeal in Malacañang.

When he returned to his post, Cuerpo threatened anew to stop the dumping of Metro Manila’s garbage at the controversial landfill unless the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) pays them.

Emmanuel de Castro, MMDA chief legal counsel, claimed they are ready to pay for the services of the Montalban landfill but Cuerpo should first prove before the court that the Rodriguez government is the rightful owner of the landfill.

The MMDA has filed a case before the Makati City Regional Trial Court to determine if Rodriguez or Rizal province should receive payment for hosting Metro Manila’s garbage.

In a statement, Cuerpo said there are clerks, teachers, doctors, street sweepers and other municipal employees, who provide valuable services to the municipality, that will lose their jobs if the landfill is taken away from the municipal government’s control.

“I would be like a father who lost his job, unable to take care of and protect those he needs to protect,” he said.

Cuerpo could not understand why the Rizal provincial government wanted to take control of the landfill from his town.

“The provincial capitol has stated that they want to take control of the landfill in order to have control of the funds, but at what cost?” he asked.

Cuerpo said that his town is merely exerting its legal right over the landfill under Section 17 of the Local Government Code which devolved the basic services of solid waste disposal only to municipalities.

“The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is not vested with the power to regulate solid waste disposal. Therefore, the provincial capitol should not have control and may not issue permits regarding the operation of such facility,” he said.

It is unfortunate, Cuerpo said, that the governor, vice governor and the provincial board failed to grasp this concept.

Rizal Gov. Jun-Jun Ynares’ lawyer Christine Hernandez said the issue is pending at the Makati court.

“The matter is already with the courts. So we are just awaiting for the decision,” Hernandez said.