The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will coordinate with Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso regarding his call on the national government to file charges against the agency's officials over supposed violations of health protocols during the opening of the Dolomite beach.
DENR Usec. Jonas Leones said Tuesday he "cannot say" any comment on Moreno's statement "right now," although he is firm that the local government of Manila "is fully supporting" the agency's rehabilitation efforts.
"And he's inquiring from the DENR ano yung mga measures, yung mga ginagawa namin to address 'yung crowding doon sa dolomite area. So yun lang 'yung information na nakuha ko," Leones said in a press conference.
"We'll coordinate with the good mayor doon sa statement. But 'yun 'yung statement na nareceive ko kagabi," he added.
Several hours before the DENR's press conference, Moreno called on the national government's pandemic task force to file charges against DENR officials for the overcrowding at the Manila Bay dolomite beach.
"Charge those people in DENR for violating our rules. If they cannot implement it within their offices, then there is no point implementing it sa mga taumbayan (to the public). Pinahihirapan natin ang taumbayan pero ang unang naglalabag ay tayo ring nasa national government (We are giving the public a hard time but those violating are those in the national government)," he said in an ANC interview.
"It doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t add up," he added.
For the past two weekends, tens of thousands of people flocked the Dolomite beach, making various government agencies and officials alarmed over the situation.
From at least 25,000 people recorded on Oct. 17, it swelled to 121,744 on Oct. 24, according to Manila Bay Coordinating Office Deputy Executive Director Jacob Meimban.