Makati to file charges vs West Tower building officials

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government vowed yesterday to file charges against the management of the West Tower condominium building in Barangay Bangkal for allegedly dumping wastewater into the city’s drainage system.

Makati City’s Department of Environmental Services (DES) officer-in-charge Lydia Donato said she received reports from barangay officials and personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), who are manning the command center in Barangay Bangkal, that there was a sudden rise of volume of drainage water in the area at around 8:30 a.m. yesterday.

Donato said this prompted them to conduct an inspection at the site, where they also received complaints from residents near the West Tower about a foul odor coming from the drainpipes in Barangay Bangkal.

The water that accumulated in the building basement was found to be contaminated with gasoline, but authorities have yet to trace the source of the leak.

She said if found guilty of violating sanitation laws, the officials of West Tower may get six months in jail for dumping wastewater from the condominium basement.

The employees and security guards of West Tower, according to Donato, refused to answer questions from them. “They were very uncooperative and this has added to our suspicion,” she said.

Donato said the penalty could be heavier once the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which earlier dispatched a team to assess the extent of the wastewater dumping’s impact on the environment, concludes its own investigation.

She said they are now collating the statements of residents in the area with the coordination of the officials of Barangay Bangkal for the filing of the appropriate charges against the officials of West Tower.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said the management of West Tower is placing themselves to more trouble for taking shortcuts in cleaning up its basement.

City Engineer Nelson Morales said they will revoke the permit for occupancy and building permit of the West Tower should its officials fail to finish cleaning up its basement by Friday.

Morales earlier said the West Tower officials have been negligent and allowed the water to accumulate in its basement which prevented them from fully tracing the source of the gas leak which has resulted to the evacuation of the residents in West Tower.

Vicente Clado, West Tower building administrator, has been inaccessible since last week, according to Morales.