DAGUPAN CITY - As officials and residents of Pangasinan start focusing their efforts on the rehabilitation of their towns devastated by widespread flooding in the province last week, they are, at the same time, finding who are accountable for the destruction.
Pangasinan officials, a former Court of Appeals associate justice and a group of businessmen have started preparing complaints against the National Power Corp. and the San Roque Multipurpose Project (SRMP) after excess water released from the San Roque Dam in San Manuel town flooded 38 towns and cities in the province.
Napocor owns the dam while the SRMP operates it.
SRMP officials have remained mum on the planned class suit against their company.
On Monday morning, the INQUIRER tried to interview Tom Valdez, SRMP vice president for corporate social responsibility, but he begged off, saying his office was preparing an official statement.
At about 1:30 p.m. the INQUIRER asked for a copy of the statement but Valdez said it was not ready. Two hours later, he said the statement would be finished by 9 p.m.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. said the provincial government is bringing San Roque officials to court for the destruction that last week's widespread flooding brought to Pangasinan.
"I have asked our lawyers to prepare a suit," Espino said in a forum in Lingayen town on Monday.
He asked Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, a lawyer, to help draft the complaint.
Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, said mayors of towns hardest hit by floods were also thinking of suing dam officials for the lack of adequate warning to local officials and residents before the dam released water on Oct. 8.
"We will talk about it. I will call a meeting among the affected mayors," he said.
Former Court of Appeals Associate Justice Teodoro Regino, a resident of Dagupan City, said he would lead the filing of a class suit against Napocor and SRMP for releasing excess waters that flooded Pangasinan.
He said he would prepare the complaint as soon as he gathers all the data he needs to build a case.
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