Garcia unfazed by admin raps threat

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is unfazed by the threats of another administrative complaints from a group of citizens mostly environmentalist for alleged conflict of interest after she entered into a contract, on behalf of the provincial government, with the Korean Electric Power Corporation.

Garcia is seemed to have been expecting another complaint against her before the Office of the President.   

“Mas mahibung ko kung di ko nila ikiha,” Garcia told reporters during the inauguration of the 200-megawatt KEPCO power plant in Naga City.

Gloria Ramos, co-director of the Philippine Earth Justice Center, Inc. told The FREEMAN that another group of citizens will be filing a case against the governor for allegedly putting herself in the conflict of interest.

Ramos explained that Garcia, being the local chief executive of the province, is supposed to be the enforcer of anti-pollution laws but she instead become a contractor of a regulated industry such as the KEPCO. Cebu Province and KEPCO has entered into a contract for the dumping of coal ash in the province-owned property in Barangay Tinaan or the controversial Balili beach front. 

It was also Ramos’ group together with the Central Visayas Farmer’s Development Center, Central Visayas Fisherfolks Development Center, concerned residents of Toledo City and Naga City who filed a case against Garcia in relation to the alleged indiscriminate dumping of coal ash from the coal-fired power plant operators, the  KSPC in Naga City and the Toledo Power Plant and the Cebu Energy Development Corporation in Toledo City.

The case remains pending before the Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City.   - (THE FREEMAN)