The Cebu City Council threatened yesterday to file charges against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and WTG Construction and Development Corporation for its flood control project in Barangay Cogon Pardo, Cebu City, without environmental clearances.

This resulted in the burial of at least nine mangrove trees.

“These mangroves were meant to protect the city from floods. Instead, they buried its natural defense against them,” insisted South District City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera.

“You act like you’re the victim. You’re quick to blame others, but you don’t see your own faults,” she said.

The controversial project, which DPWH insists is a drainage improvement initiative and not a road construction scheme, was halted last week by acting Cebu City Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros by issuing a cease-and-desist order (CDO).

The project was questioned as to how the project proceeded without an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Engineer Gemuel Talingting of the DPWH Cebu City District Engineering Office admitted to councilors that the project pushed through without the necessary clearance from DENR, describing it as an “oversight” in the agency’s haste to deliver the infrastructure on time.

“We want to apologize if this happened,” he told the council. “Also, to Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office and DENR, that there was no clearance yet...Our office wanted to correct what happened,” he added.