Misamis Oriental solon wants COA to conduct 'special audit' on Philvidec
Published Feb 27, 2019 04:46 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliette T. Uy urged Wednesday the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a "special audit” of the Phividec Industrial Authority, even as she welcomed the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) filing of charges against its “grossly negligent and incompetent” officials who are supposedly involved in the illegal entry and dumping of over 5,000 metric tons of garbage from South Korea in Misamis Oriental.
Misamis Oriental 2nd District Rep. Juliette Uy (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
She said Phividec and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) should be held liable for the dumping of the hazardous plastic garbage in Misamis Oriental, citing that the NBI already filed a criminal case against "purported plastics recycler" Verde Soko Philippines, a locator in the Phividec Industrial Estate of Misamis Oriental.
"We had a very clinical and productive hearing last Tuesday during which the committees convened methodically dissected the timeline, procedures, and statements of the resource persons who gave their sworn testimony. In my mind, the failures of Phividec and of Customs district are clear," Uy said in a statement.
“I will ask the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit of Phividec. The officials there have certainly been grossly negligent and incompetent at the very least,” she added.
She described as “mind-boggling” the decision of Phividec to allow Verde Soko's supposed plastic recycling operations, which are “make believe”.
"The investigation of the Customs intelligence officials and of the Mindanao International Container Port clearly indicates Verde Soko is a shell that is just filled with garbage but with no plastic recycling equipment and machinery,” she pointed out.
"I was only slightly amused by how Phividec administrator Franklin Quijano was hiding behind procedures and word play. It was apparent to me that he was making it appear there is no coordinating mechanism at the Phividec berthing facilities," Uy said.
During the joint panel hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Quijano admitted knowing that Verde Soko had only one piece of rusting equipment.
“In their presentation, they were supposed to install 30 machines. But they were able to install only one. And it did not have any activity right now. It is already in the state of rusting your Honor,” he told the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability, Ecology and Local Government in a joint probe.
Uy said Quijano and other Phividec officials should have known that there was already something wrong at Verde Soko.
“They deserve to undergo COA special audit,” she said.
She described the recycling facility as "not functioning recycling plant, dilapidated, lumang-luma na talaga, rusty na ang mga machine, and the so-called synthetic plastic flakes of Verde Soko is just dirty and stinky garbage.”
Uy criticized Customs District Collector Atty. Floro Calixihan Jr. for his failure to inspect the cargoes before he approved the recommendation to unload the shipment from the port of Tagoloan to Verde Soko plant site in Misamis Oriental despite the lack of import permit.
“He did not even bother to visually inspect the first shipment of over 5,000 metric tons of garbage from South Korea, nor ascertain the veracity and genuineness of the documents he and his team had in their possession,” she said.
"Masyadong naging maliksi itong si Calixihan. Wala raw siyang nakitang kahina-hinalang impormasyon sa mga dokumentong hawak nila. Now, contrast that admission of his versus the findings of the South Korean government that Green Soko used fake documents," Uy said.
Uy’s filing of House Resolution 2317 and the privilege speech of Iligan City Rep. Frederick Siao prodded the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability, Ecology and Local Government to conduct a probe on the matter.
"I am very thankful to my colleagues in the House, to the three committees that convened the joint hearing. That they took time out of their busy schedules to conduct this hearing does not only show their dedication to public service, but also proves how important this hearing is," Uy said.
Misamis Oriental 2nd District Rep. Juliette Uy (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
She said Phividec and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) should be held liable for the dumping of the hazardous plastic garbage in Misamis Oriental, citing that the NBI already filed a criminal case against "purported plastics recycler" Verde Soko Philippines, a locator in the Phividec Industrial Estate of Misamis Oriental.
"We had a very clinical and productive hearing last Tuesday during which the committees convened methodically dissected the timeline, procedures, and statements of the resource persons who gave their sworn testimony. In my mind, the failures of Phividec and of Customs district are clear," Uy said in a statement.
“I will ask the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit of Phividec. The officials there have certainly been grossly negligent and incompetent at the very least,” she added.
She described as “mind-boggling” the decision of Phividec to allow Verde Soko's supposed plastic recycling operations, which are “make believe”.
"The investigation of the Customs intelligence officials and of the Mindanao International Container Port clearly indicates Verde Soko is a shell that is just filled with garbage but with no plastic recycling equipment and machinery,” she pointed out.
"I was only slightly amused by how Phividec administrator Franklin Quijano was hiding behind procedures and word play. It was apparent to me that he was making it appear there is no coordinating mechanism at the Phividec berthing facilities," Uy said.
During the joint panel hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Quijano admitted knowing that Verde Soko had only one piece of rusting equipment.
“In their presentation, they were supposed to install 30 machines. But they were able to install only one. And it did not have any activity right now. It is already in the state of rusting your Honor,” he told the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability, Ecology and Local Government in a joint probe.
Uy said Quijano and other Phividec officials should have known that there was already something wrong at Verde Soko.
“They deserve to undergo COA special audit,” she said.
She described the recycling facility as "not functioning recycling plant, dilapidated, lumang-luma na talaga, rusty na ang mga machine, and the so-called synthetic plastic flakes of Verde Soko is just dirty and stinky garbage.”
Uy criticized Customs District Collector Atty. Floro Calixihan Jr. for his failure to inspect the cargoes before he approved the recommendation to unload the shipment from the port of Tagoloan to Verde Soko plant site in Misamis Oriental despite the lack of import permit.
“He did not even bother to visually inspect the first shipment of over 5,000 metric tons of garbage from South Korea, nor ascertain the veracity and genuineness of the documents he and his team had in their possession,” she said.
"Masyadong naging maliksi itong si Calixihan. Wala raw siyang nakitang kahina-hinalang impormasyon sa mga dokumentong hawak nila. Now, contrast that admission of his versus the findings of the South Korean government that Green Soko used fake documents," Uy said.
Uy’s filing of House Resolution 2317 and the privilege speech of Iligan City Rep. Frederick Siao prodded the House Committees on Good Government and Public Accountability, Ecology and Local Government to conduct a probe on the matter.
"I am very thankful to my colleagues in the House, to the three committees that convened the joint hearing. That they took time out of their busy schedules to conduct this hearing does not only show their dedication to public service, but also proves how important this hearing is," Uy said.