Making good on his promise to bring “independent eyes” to the Binaliw incident, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla issued Special Order No. 2026-32, officially creating a Composite Team to lead the investigation and fact-finding mission regarding the collapse of the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill in Cebu City.
“This is in strict adherence to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure safety, transparency, and accountability,” Lotilla said.
“The government is taking all necessary measures to ensure that responsible parties are held answerable for this tragedy.”
“As the President emphasized, the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure that responsible parties are held answerable for this tragedy,” the environment chief added.
The order, dated January 26, 2026, formalizes the inclusion of non-government organizations and academic institutions in the probe to ensure transparency, technical rigor, and freedom from bias.
The Composite Team is led by Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs, Enforcement, and Human Resources Norlito Eneran.
To guarantee impartiality and scientific accuracy, Lotilla has appointed prominent external experts as official members:
Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition, representing civil society and environmental advocacy groups.
Engr. Janice Jamora, Chair of the College of Engineering at the University of San Carlos (USC) – Talamban Campus, providing local engineering expertise and academic oversight.
They are joined by DENR’s top technical experts to handle the legal and geological aspects of the investigation:
Dr. Kevin Garas, Senior Geologist from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Lands Geological Survey Division.
Engr. Regina Paula D. Eugenio, Chief of the Review and Evaluation Section, Environmental Impact Assessment Division of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
Atty. Rosette Ferrer, Chief of the Legal Research and Opinion Division, Legal Affairs Service (LAS).
Based on the directive, the Team is tasked with a comprehensive five-point technical mandate to determine liability and ensure public safety:
Rapid Engineering and Environmental Appraisal of the 17-hectare Prime Waste facility;
Compliance Monitoring regarding the facility’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Sanitary Landfill (SLF) standards;
Formulation of a Rehabilitation Plan with a strict timetable, covering emergency stabilization, site remediation, and environmental recovery;
Assessment of Alternative Sites for waste disposal to alleviate the immediate crisis; and
Development of Long-term Strategies on solid waste management monitoring and enforcement.
The team is supported by a technical secretariat including Special Investigators Marie Jasmine Molina and Jeanette Tismo, alongside Technical Assistant Jazmin Myles Young, who are tasked with gathering documents, conducting interviews with LGU and DENR officials, and compiling evidence for potential administrative, civil, or criminal cases.
“By involving experts from academia like the University of San Carlos and civil society leaders from EcoWaste Coalition, we are ensuring that our findings are not only credible but also rooted in the best available science.”
“We are bringing in independent eyes to look at the data,” Lotilla said. “By involving experts from academia like the University of San Carlos and civil society leaders from EcoWaste Coalition, we are ensuring that our findings are not only credible but also rooted in the best available science.”
The creation of this body is part of Lotilla’s broader five-pronged strategy to address the Binaliw crisis, which includes a nationwide review of all solid waste facilities and the strengthening of the Environmental Management Bureau’s enforcement capabilities.
The Composite Team has been directed to submit their findings within five days upon the termination of their investigation.
