A case for mandamus needed to compel City govt to save Iloilo River
THE Iloilo City government can be sued and compelled to clear the banks of Iloilo River of illegal structures and obstructions.
Atty. Dennis Ventilacion cited the successful mandamus case filed against the Manila City government which demanded the immediate clean up of the Manila Bay.
Ventilacion told The Daily Guardian on Air over Aksyon Radyo that residents of Iloilo City can file a similar suit against the City government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which has the primary task of protecting the environment.
Ventilacion said the Iloilo Integrated Bar of the Philippines can help file the suit if only to help save the already dying river.
Engr. Edwin Domingo, assistant director of the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), earlier urged the Iloilo City government to check the unbridled developments on the banks of the Iloilo River to prevent further pollution and floods.
Domingo said many structures and developments are sprouting right on the banks of the river in clear violation of existing laws and regulations.
“In urban areas, the more establishments and people you put near the river, chances are they are going to use the river as garbage dump,” he said.
While it may take some time, Atty. Daniel Cartagena, another legal consultant of The Daily Guardian On Air, said a mandamus case might be imperative to compel local officials to clean the river.
“The Iloilo River has the biggest tourism potential if developed properly. We don’t have to look far when looking for tourism sites in the city. We can develop the area like the Marikina River in Metro Manila and other rivers in the world,” Cartagena said.
Cartagena said the city government lacks political will to protect the river from unbridled developments.
“Our national and local leaders belong to the same party and they have the ears of the President. We can develop this river if we have political will,” Cartagena said. He was referring to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. and City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The Iloilo Business Club, city government, Unites States-Asia Environmental Partnership Program and Asia Foundation completed the Iloilo River Development Plan in 2003 yet.
The masterplan identified development strategies and policies in the areas of land use and urban design; socio-economic improvement; infrastructure facilities, environmental protection and institutional mechanism. But lack of funds has put the masterplan in the doldrums.
Francis Allan L. Angelo, The Daily Guardian
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