The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is filing environmental cases against an individual who allegedly dumped chemical wastes in a river in Tuy, Batangas last Wednesday afternoon.

"Patong-patong na kaso ang kakaharapin ng may-ari ng lupa sa Tuy, Batangas na si Romano Cabrera dahil sa ginawang paghuhugas ng mga gamit na drum na may laman na chemical ng sabon. (The landowner in Tuy, Batangas, Romano Cabrera, is facing multiple charges for washing in the river drums containing chemical (used in the manufacture) of soap," DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda said.

DENR, together with the local government of Tuy, and the Philippine National Police, recovered 16 drums from the area. Cabrera was arrested last Wednesday afternoon.

Antiporda said the suspect will be charged for violation of the Republic Act (RA) 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, and RA 9275 or the Clean Water Act of 2004.

"Ang RA 6969 ay violation sa handling ng hazardous waste at toxic substance. Yung RA 9275 naman ay violation sa Clean Water Act dahil wala ring water discharge permit itong pinaghugasan ng mga gamit na drum na bina buy and sell ni Mr. Cabrera. (RA 6969 is a violation of the handling of hazardous waste and toxic substances. RA 9275 is a violation of the Clean Water Act because the person also does not have a water discharge permit for the water used to wash the drums that are supposedly for the buy-and-sell business of Mr. Cabrera)," the DENR official explained.

The suspect is currently in jail while authorities are preparing the charges to be filed against him.

"Kasama sa mga ikakaso sa kanya ng LGU ay ang kawalan ng mayor's permit (Among the charges that will be filed against him by the local government unit is the absence of a mayor's permit for his business)," Antiporda said.

He pointed out that the incident led to the death of a number of catfish and eel along the river.

"Asahan natin na maaaksyunan po ito dahil grabe yung ginawang damage nito sa ating environment kung saan naglutangan ang mga hito at igat sa sapa na yan (We hope that this will be acted upon because it has done so much damage to our environment where catfish and eels floated in that creek)," Antiporda said.

A team from the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau already took water samples to determine the specific chemicals that were thrown into the river.