CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia ordered yesterday an indefinite suspension of six quarry permits in Consolacion town.
In her executive order, the governor said she has received numerous reports and complaints of rampant, unabated, indiscriminate, illegal quarrying and hauling of
limestone in the municipality to the great damage and prejudice of the environment.
Garcia’s order will take effect immediately upon its issuance.
The same copy of the order will be given to the Philippine National Police.
She also ordered the creation of the review committee, wherein both the heads of the Provincial Board (PB) committees on environment and natural resources and laws will take the lead, namely PB members Victor Maambong and Peter John Calderon.
Complaints
The members are Rory Jon Sepulveda, Cebu Provincial consultant on revenue generation; Nerces Bispo, officer-in-charge of the Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) and Cebu Provincial Legal Officer Marino Martinquilla.
The review committee is tasked to investigate the complaints and to recommend appropriate measures.
Sepulveda said yesterday that Garcia received lots of complaints from the residents of the area during the Christmas break.
He admitted that Capitol doesn’t have the manpower to check all the sources of limestone and have difficulty checking on the authenticity of the delivery receipts.
To avoid corruption from the quarry checkpoint areas, the Province assigned the personnel on rotation.
Capitol has issued permits for the quarrying and disposal of limestone covering some areas in Consolacion.
Of the six quarry permits, only one had expired last June 11, 2008. It was issued to Edwin B. Cañeda.
Other affected quarry permits were issued to Prima Fortuna that will expire on July 22 yet and another quarry permit to Allan Franco Taneo that will expire on Aug. 31.
Three special disposal permits, issued to Site Traders and Developers Inc. will expire on Jan. 25 and another permit issued to Maria Lorena Yungco will also expire on Feb. 28.
The last permit was also issued to Reynaldo Sanchez that will expire on March 13.