BY AARON RECUENCO
The mysterious build-up of giant foams in a river in Tuy town of Batangas that went viral on social media is now solved after the arrest of two people on Wednesday.
Col. Rex Malimban, director of the Batangas Provincial Police Office, said the investigation they conducted disclosed that the giant foams found in a river in Barangay Bayudbud apparently were a result of the chemicals dumped by the suspects on the river.
He identified the suspects as Romano Cabrera, 46; and, Mark Anthony Austria, 38. Both are residents of Tuy town.
The photos of the giant foams went viral in the social media, with some netizens saying that it could be result of water pollution from chemicals being spilled to the river.
At around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Malimban said his men received a call from local residents about two persons dumping something into a river in Barangay Bayudbud.
Local police immediately responded to the area and arrested the two suspects.
“They were caught cleaning 16 drums containing chemicals which they were disposing to the river,” said Malimban.
The two were immediately taken to the police station and is now criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 6969, or the Toxic Substance and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990; and, RA 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Malimban said they are now conducting investigation to determine if the two were just ordered to dispose the chemicals to the river or acted on their own. (Aaron Recuenco)
