The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) and the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (Benro) have penalized the owner of a truck caught on video illegally dumping construction debris in the Bredco area of the city.
Violation and Penalties
Lawyer Vanessa Encabo, spokesperson of CLO, confirmed that authorities identified and penalized the truck owner for violating City Ordinance No. 596 and Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Under these regulations, dumping construction waste in unauthorized areas is strictly prohibited and carries a penalty of a P2,500 fine or five days of community service.
Encabo stated that the violator agreed to pay the P2,500 fine along with an additional P270 fee, calculated based on the truck's carrying capacity of 2.7 cubic meters. Furthermore, the truck owner was ordered to remove all dumped debris from the site.
Investigation and Admission
Last week, a video was sent to Mayor Greg Gasataya showing four men dumping construction waste in the Bredco area. The mayor immediately ordered an investigation, which led Police Station 2 to identify the truck owner. The owner subsequently met with officials from CLO and Benro, apologized, and admitted to instructing his workers to dump the debris at that location.
Encabo emphasized that the City of Bacolod, under Mayor Gasataya's administration, remains firm in enforcing laws and city ordinances, particularly those related to environmental protection. She noted that the violator claimed ignorance of the measure, but she reminded him that ignorance of the law does not exempt anyone from penalties.
Reminder to the Public
Encabo also reminded contractors, truck owners, and residents to coordinate with Benro for proper waste disposal and to use only authorized disposal sites. This case serves as a warning against illegal dumping and underscores the city's commitment to environmental preservation.
