By Tara Yap Iloilo City, Iloilo — A line agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is leading the investigation of alleged toxic materials used for the expansion of a river park project in Iloilo City. “We want to independently determine if there is coal ash or if it is toxic,” said Atty. Ramar Neil Pascua, legal officer of DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Western Visayas. The probe stemmed from a complaint that coal ash from the nearby coal-fired power plant of Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) was allegedly used as part of the soil filling for the expansion of the Iloilo Esplanade, the pet project of Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon. But private contractor Sancho-Lavilla Builders Inc. also used materials from Cabatuan town for reclamation along the river adjacent to a hospital and a hotel. Pascua told The Manila Bulletin that the inter-agency monitoring team took samples from both PEDC’s coal ash and the materials from Cabatuan town Monday to determine where the existence of sulfate comes from. While sulfates are not included in the list of hazardous substances under Republic Act No. 6969, the investigating team wants to determine if it is within safety standards. As to coal ash being used as construction materials, Pascua explained that DENR Central Office allows this as long as it is within regulatory limits.