Manila: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has announced the formation of a composite team to spearhead the investigation into the collapse of the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill in Cebu. This initiative follows the issuance of Special Order (SO) No. 2026-32 by Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla, in response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive aimed at ensuring safety, transparency, and accountability.
According to Philippines News Agency, the team comprises government experts, civil society representatives, and members of the academe to conduct a comprehensive and unbiased inquiry. Secretary Lotilla emphasized the government's commitment to holding responsible parties accountable for the incident, highlighting the inclusion of independent experts to review the data.
The investigative body will be led by DENR Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs, Enforcement, and Human Resources Norlito Eneran. He will be supported by prominent figures such as Aileen Lucero of the EcoWaste Coalition, Janice Jamora from the University of San Carlos, and DENR specialists from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Environmental Management Bureau, and the Legal Affairs Service.
A technical secretariat will assist the team by collecting documents, conducting interviews, and compiling evidence for potential legal action. Secretary Lotilla noted that the involvement of academic and civil society experts ensures that the findings will be credible and scientifically grounded.
The team's mandate includes a rapid engineering and environmental assessment of the landfill, monitoring compliance with standards, creating an emergency rehabilitation plan, evaluating alternative disposal sites, and recommending long-term waste management strategies. This effort is part of a broader strategy to prevent similar incidents, which also involves a review of all solid waste facilities across the nation and enhancing the Environmental Management Bureau's enforcement capabilities.
The composite team is expected to present its findings within five days of completing the investigation.
