Antiporda in a bind on dumpsite issue

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has charged that former Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management Benny Antiporda misrepresented the situation on the closure of dumpsites when he announced in May 2021 that all open dumpsites in the country have ceased operations.

“In 2021, the DENR announced the successful closing of all dumpsites nationwide. However, our validation from March to April 2022 revealed that not all dumpsites were successfully closed,” the audit team said.

Antiporda, an erstwhile National Irrigation Administration (NIA) head, was put under six-month preventive suspension without pay by the Office of the Ombudsman while under investigation. The case stemmed from complaints by the agency’s employees accusing him of grave misconduct, harassment, and oppression.

“After a careful evaluation of the