Ranking members of the House minority bloc are calling for a congressional inquiry on the massive Rodriguez, Rizal dumpsite landslide that reportedly buried dozens of people.

Seeking the probe in aid of legislation were Senior Deputy Minority Leader Caloocan City 2nd district Rep. Edgar "Egay" Erice, Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, and Assistant Minority Leaders Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co.

In a recent privilege speech in plenary at the House of Representatives, Erice raised serious environmental, financial, and public safety concerns in connection with the long-operating dumpsite in Rodriguez dumpsite.

“We cannot allow those who were buried in this tragedy to also be buried in silence. Accountability must prevail, and the system that allowed this to happen must be reformed,” he reckoned.

Erice was alluding to allegations that residents and waste pickers were being discouraged or intimidated from speaking publicly about the incident for fear that closure of the dumpsite would deprive them of their livelihood.

He cited reports that around 50 individuals were buried during the landslide last Feb. 20, with some still unaccounted for. He urged the appropriate House committees to immediately conduct the probe, as well as called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to provide emergency assistance and temporary employment to affected families.

The Caloocan solon recalled that he questioned Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials about the Rodriguez dumpsite's environmental impact and long-term sustainability during the budget deliberations last year.

Erice says natural waterways near the dumpsite have allegedly been altered and that pollution from the site has reportedly affected Laguna de Bay. He also noted the site’s proximity to the Balara Water Reservoir, and raised concerns about potential risks to Metro Manila’s water supply.

He questioned why authorities have failed for decades to establish modern sanitary landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. The country, he said, has lagged behind even less developed cities worldwide in adopting sustainable waste management systems.

Erice further alleged possible conflicts of interest involving contractors operating the dumpsite and garbage hauling services across Metro Manila. He claimed that billions of pesos are paid annually by local government units and the MMDA through “clean-all” contracts, where contractors are compensated based on estimated daily waste volumes. Metro Manila is estimated to generate about 10,000 tons of garbage daily.

According to him, there are indications that billing may be padded by as much as 20 to 30 percent, with some uncollected waste allegedly ending up in creeks, waterways, and eventually in Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay. If proven true, he said, such discrepancies would represent a massive misuse of public funds.

Meanwhile, Makabayan solons Tinio, Elago, and Co filed House Resolution (HR) No. 815, which urged the Committees on Natural Resources and on Labor and Employment to conduct the inquiry on the collapse of the sanitary landfill.

In their measure, the trio placed a focus on determining whether or not landfill operator

Interational Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist Inc. (ISWIMS) had any accountability over the incident.

"ISWIMS, through Green Leap Solid Waste Management Inc. the Local Government Unit of Rodriguez, and the Metropolitan Manila Developmcnt Authority (MMDA) have an existing contract for the operation and management of the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill," read HR No. 815.

The authors pointed out that ISWIMS was previously involved in the alleged labor violations and exploitatios of its workers. "During the 19th Congress, Senate Resolution No. 914 was previously filed directing the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resource Development to conduct an inquiry on the unscrupulous practice of ISWIMS in engaging the services of garbage collectors by circumventing pertinent laws, in gross disregard of their rights as worker."

Like Erice, the militant legislators cited accounts of "suppression of information" related to the incident, including the restriction of media access and deployment of armed private security personnel.

"The landfill collapse not only endangered the lives of the waste collectors and local residents within the surrounding area of the landfill, but also constituted actual, demonstrable, and grave environmental damage and health hazard," the resolution read.