Acosta hits Supreme Court on Jancom case

Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta accused the Supreme Court yesterday of duping and forcing President Arroyo to sign a P390-billion "illegal" garbage contract in favor of Jancom Environmental Corporation.

Acosta said that when the Supreme Court’s third division upheld the validity of the build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract between Jancom and the government, this paved the way for the illegal construction of an incinerator at the now closed San Mateo dumpsite.

This "flawed SC decision," Acosta said, may stand to "benefit someone influential in the courts or in the administration," but he adamantly refused to name anybody.

Meanwhile, a coalition of non-government organizations (NGOs) asked the Supreme Court yesterday to reconsider and refer to the body en banc its decision upholding the validity of the BOT garbage incineration contract which is alleged to be overpriced by as much as P390 billion over 25 years.

This, as the House committee on ecology is set to start its investigation into how Jancom managed to convince government to award it the $360-million waste disposal and waste-to-energy contract, according to Acosta, a committee member.

Acosta said that the public should be aware that if President Arroyo signs the contract, taxpayers will "end up paying for the P390 billion garbage scam" for the next 25 years. – Matthew Estabillo, Mary Ann Reyes and Non Alquitran