Thursday, November 06, 2008 Trader blames rivalry for controversy
BUSINESS rivalry was seen as a possible reason for the allegations raised against the Sebastian family-owned used oil transporting business that figured in a recent controversy.
Christianne Sebastian-Guanzon of Genetron International Marketing questioned yesterday why they were singled out on the issue of the lack of permits to transport used oil from the Cebu International Port (CIP).
All other operators of similar businesses, she said, are also still securing the permits needed, as agreed after a meeting last week with officials from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7, Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Christianne also showed Sun.Star Cebu yesterday all the government-issued documents she has secured to prove the company is complying with the law in doing business.
The company, which belongs to the Sebastians and has been operating for 21 years in Bulacan, is careful about its operations and opened in Cebu only last July, she said.
Holiday
Christianne emphasized the company is not owned by the family of her husband, Mark Lester, son of Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas Felix Guanzon. Guanzon reportedly interceded for the release of Genetron’s tanker (truck) from the CIP last week despite the lack of permits.
She also denied allegations that the company lacked the permits for the tanker, adding that the tanker was held only because no one could sign the release permits since the afternoon of Oct. 31 was declared a holiday.
She fears they are being singled out due to their business rival’s influence on some officials.
She said her complaint against customs policeman Clint Ecleo for unfairly holding Genetron’s tanker prompted two meetings last week to solve the issue on securing permits and the system covering operators of businesses transporting used oil.
Christianne said everything was settled after the meetings last Monday and Thursday, so she was shocked when news reports of Genetron’s involvement in the “smuggling of used oil” came out.
Mark Lester also denied that his father interceded in the release of the oil tanker held by a customs police, because there was nothing to intercede for, given their complete documentation.
Permit
But he said that it was only yesterday that he knew that Felix wrote a letter to President Arroyo requesting for the transfer of a customs policeman.
He said that maybe his father wrote the letter in behalf of the businessmen allegedly victimized by the customs policeman.
Christianne alleged that Ecleo has only held Genetron’s tanker for the lack of a permit to transport (PTT) but has allowed the release of the one from their competitor despite the lack of a PTT.
She said that Genetron did not secure a PTT from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) because this was not required by the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) since Genetron started acquiring used oil from the CIP last July.
Their competitors, which have long been operating at the CIP, have not secured a PTT, she added.
EMB 7 Acting Director Rolando Luego said the situation in getting used oil from the vessels at the port is unique because the foreign vessels, which are considered the “waste generators,” do not stay long at CIP.
Luego said that these foreign vessels are supposed to be registered with the DENR but the time constraint makes it impossible for them to do so.
He said a PTT can only be issued if there is a memorandum of agreement between the waste generator and the sludge (used oil) transporter.
Luego said that all these requirements are provided for under Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990.
In a gesture of goodwill and to comply with the law, Christianne said Genetron even remedied the situation and ensured the acquisition of a PTT by applying both as a waste generator and a waste oil transporter.
The other day, lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-National Environmental Action Team urged those who engaged in the business of used oil to account for all the waste oil that were taken from CIP to erase doubts that this has brought hazard to the environment.
However, Christianne assured the public they are treating the sludge “properly and scientifically” because they could produce by-products, such as poly vinyl, paper chemicals, fertilizer chemicals, acrylic emulsion, lubricants and flexo ink.
She said that because sludge contains 60 percent water, only about 30 to 40 percent is recovered to get the by-products.
Lawyer Julito Doria, deputy district collector for operations of the Port of Cebu, said the issue may be put to rest after Genetron pays the required duties and taxes.
On the other hand, CPA General Manager Angelo Verdan said that his agency is only responsible for ensuring that International Standard Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code procedures—in allowing entry of tankers to get sludge from foreign vessels—are heeded.
He said that they require the submission of some documents but clarified that the CPA has nothing to do with the implementation of RA 6969. (EOB/CYR)
