Talisay to file charges over illegal garbage dumping; Facebook booking traced

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City will file charges against those allegedly behind the illegal dumping of garbage in Barangay Jaclupan after investigators found that a wing van driver accepted a hauling job through Facebook and was later instructed by a middleman to dump the waste beside a creek.

City of Talisay Traffic Operations & Development Authority (CT-TODA) head Joy Tumulak said authorities have already prepared the complaints following the interception of the wing van in Sitio Tabok Sapa before dawn on Sunday.

“Karong buntag, gi-katakda na mag-file na sila og kaso,” Tumulak said in an interview on Tuesday.

READ: Mandaue cracks down on illegal garbage dumping

(This morning, they have scheduled the filing of charges.)

He said authorities are still finalizing the specific offenses but confirmed the complaints will cover violations of the city’s Sanitary Code and environmental laws enforced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“Ako ning klarohon karon kay duha ni ka possible cases. Violation ni siya sa atong city ordinance ug violation pud ni siya sa atong DENR,” he said.

(I still need to clarify this because there are two possible cases. These involve violations of the city’s ordinance and DENR regulations.)

Caught unloading garbage

Tumulak said the incident unfolded late Saturday night and continued into the early hours of Sunday when Barangay Jaclupan officials received a report of suspicious activity near Sitio Tabok Sapa.

The barangay immediately responded and intercepted the wing van at the site where garbage had allegedly already been dumped.

“So pagresponde sa Barangay Jaclupan, ilang na-intercept kini nga truck diha mismo sa lugar diin gilabay ang basura,” Tumulak said.

(When Barangay Jaclupan responded, they intercepted the truck at the exact location where the garbage had been dumped.)

Authorities later brought the driver and another individual to the police station for investigation.

Driver cites Facebook booking

According to Tumulak, the driver claimed he had arrived in Cebu from La Union last week after delivering potatoes to Carbon Public Market and searched for a return load while waiting to travel back north.

The driver allegedly found a trucking job through Facebook.

“Karon, while nagsige sila og search diha sa Facebook og mga request sa trucking, naa ni-pop up sa ilaha,” Tumulak said. (While searching Facebook for trucking requests, one booking appeared.)

He said the driver accepted the booking before another person allegedly negotiated the hauling job.

Tumulak said the driver claimed he initially did not know he would transport garbage.

“Matod pa niya, gidala sila sa usa ka lugar ug didto nila nahibaw-an nga basura,” he said. (According to him, they were brought to a location where they only then learned the cargo consisted of garbage.)

The driver further alleged that the same middleman accompanied the truck and directed it to Barangay Jaclupan.

“Gi-uban nila ang katong lalaki nga mao’y middleman. Mao’y nag-guide nila paingon didto anang dapita sa Jaclupan,” Tumulak said. (The man who acted as the middleman rode with them and guided them to Jaclupan.)

Upon reaching the area, the driver allegedly questioned the location because it lay beside a creek.

“Nahibong siya kay kilid man sa sapa. Pero nipasalig ang middleman nga pwede didto ilabay,” Tumulak said. (He became suspicious because the site was beside a creek, but the middleman assured him they could dump the garbage there.)

Barangay officials arrived before the unloading could continue.

Alleged source under investigation

Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas earlier said the garbage allegedly came from a private resort in Cebu.

Tumulak said investigators based that information solely on the statements of the wing van driver and the alleged middleman.

“Based on allegation gikan sa driver sa wing van ug based sa allegation niadtong middleman, didto nila gikuha ang basura,” he said. (Based on the allegations of the wing van driver and the middleman, that was where they picked up the garbage.)

He added that investigators also reportedly saw the establishment’s name on some of the waste recovered from the truck.

CDN Digital sought the resort’s side but had not received a response as of this posting.

Talisay tightens monitoring

Tumulak said illegal dumping along creeks and mountain barangays has persisted for years, although authorities rarely catch offenders because most operations happen between midnight and dawn.

“Kami mismo diri sa Talisay, gi-call namo ang attention sa tanang barangay officials… labi na sa mga barangay nga duol sa karaang landfill aron mag-monitor sa mga illegal nga maglabay og basura,” he said.

(We have already instructed all barangay officials, especially those near the old landfill, to monitor for illegal dumping.)

He said Talisay has already assigned night-duty personnel to respond immediately to reports of illegal dumping.

“Amo ning gihimo agi’g example sa uban nga seryoso ang Dakbayan sa Talisay mupasaka gyud og kaso batok sa masakpan,” Tumulak said.

(We want this incident to serve as an example that Talisay City will seriously file cases against anyone caught illegally dumping garbage.)

Gullas earlier vowed to pursue criminal, civil, and administrative charges against every individual and establishment found responsible, saying the city would not exempt anyone from accountability.

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