Tulfo seeks probe on deadly landfill collapse in Cebu

National

THE deadly collapse of a landfill in Cebu City has triggered calls for accountability, with Sen. Erwin Tulfo pointing to alleged lapses by environmental regulators in overseeing development near the site.

Tulfo said the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should be held responsible for allowing structures to rise in an area he described as inherently unsafe, after a portion of a landfill in Barangay Binaliw collapsed earlier this month.

“I cannot understand why the EMB of the DENR allowed the construction of a building at the foot of a mountain of garbage,” Tulfo said in a Philstar report.

The senator noted that the danger posed by the landfill had been evident long before the incident, adding that stricter oversight could have prevented the tragic loss of life. He emphasized that authorities failing to act properly likely contributed to the deaths.

Tulfo, who chairs the Senate committee on social justice and rural development, said he plans to push for a Senate investigation into the incident to establish accountability and implement measures aimed at preventing similar disasters.

He stressed that the focus should not only be on providing immediate aid but also on protecting the lives of workers in the future.

During his visit to the site on Jan. 18 where he met with families of the victims, Tulfo coordinated with government agencies to ensure assistance for affected families.

He said he had contacted the Department of Social Welfare and Development to facilitate burial aid, medical support for the injured, and livelihood assistance for families who lost income due to the collapse.

According to records from the Bureau of Fire Protection, the landfill collapse, which occurred on Jan. 8, killed at least 36 people and injured 18 others.(MyTVCebu)