An award-winning documentary program fact-checked claims made by content creator Boss Toyo regarding its feature “Ibinasurang Paraiso” on a dumpsite in Subic, Zambales, by journalist Kara David.
GMA Network’s “i-Witness” on Tuesday, July 21, responded to allegations made by the content creator, who is known for his YouTube series “Pinoy Pawnstars.”
On July 18, Boss Toyo said he visited the “ground zero” of the dumpsite, claiming that he did not smell anything and that the land was “privately owned.” He also alleged that the Aeta community lived far from the dumpsite.
The content creator likewise claimed the trash was “segregated” and that most of it consisted of non-biodegradable waste.
Boss Toyo drew criticism over his claims against the feature award-winning journalist Kara.
Kara, meanwhile, said her team spent more than a month investigating the issue before the documentary aired.
“Mahigit isang buwan po naming sinaliksik ang isyung ito. DENR mismo ang nagpasara sa dumpsite dahil ito ay declared illegal. NCIP mismo ang nagsabi, na ito ay ancestral land (not owned by a private individual),” she wrote on social media.
DENR stands for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, while NCIP stands for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.
“Nag-interview kami ng mga Ayta at pinuntahan ang mga bahay nila. At para patas, kinuha din namin ang panig ng mayor’s office. Malinaw na may paglabag sa batas at sinabi ng mayor’s office, we accept accountability. Napanood n’yo naman siguro. Kayo na lang po ang humusga,” Kara added.
Some Filipinos claimed that Boss Toyo may have visited a different dumpsite, speculating he might have gone to Sitio Alibang instead of Sitio Tibag.
The content creator later apologized, saying that he did not want to see mountains turned into dumpsites.
“Ang aking naratibo ay ang aking naabutan sa dumpsite at ang iba na kasagutan ay mismo sa mga namamahala at mga kagawad sa komunidad sa malapit sa dumpsite. Walang sobra, walang kulang,” Boss Toyo said on July 19.
“Pasensya po sa lahat. Pasensiya po kung iba po ang naging punto ko sa punto niyo. Pasensiya po, wala po akong pinagtatanggol, sinabi ko lang po ang aking naabutan sa dumpsite, walang labis at walang kulang,” he added.
What the program said
“i-Witness,” the program that aired the documentary, also released a statement by addressing and fact-checking each of the allegations made by the content creator.
“I-Witness spent more than a month researching and documenting the story. During that process, the team obtained a copy of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), confirming that the area is part of the Aeta community’s ancestral domain,” it said in response to claims the land was privately owned.
The program added that, contrary to Boss Toyo’s claims that the dumpsite was “odorless,” its team interviewed residents who said they had endured the foul odor for years.
“Some families told the team they eventually left their homes because of its impact on their health and daily lives,” “i-Witness” said.
It also addressed claims that the Aetas lived far from the dumpsite.
“In recorded interviews, the community leaders confirmed that parts of their traditional hunting grounds and sources of livelihood are located within the same area as the dumpsite. They expressed deep concern over the dumpsite’s presence but said they felt powerless to stop its continued operation,” the program said.
“These findings are not based solely on residents’ accounts. They are corroborated by official government documents and are consistent with the DENR’s own findings and regulatory actions,” it continued.
“i-Witness” also said it is “committed to accurate, fair and responsible journalism” for nearly three decades since it began airing.
“Every documentary is grounded on extensive research and credible reporting. We stand firmly by the documentary and the facts presented in ‘Ibinasurang Paraiso,'” it concluded.
On July 12, the program aired a feature on an Aeta ancestral land in Subic, Zambales, that had been turned into a dumpsite by the local government.
The arrangement was intended to be temporary, but it lasted for seven years.
READ: ‘This is a crime’: Subic LGU criticized for turning Aeta ancestral land into dumpsite
Some local government officials said they had “no idea” that a community lived in the area designated to become a dumpsite.
They added that they needed “at least P78 million” to rehabilitate the site following the DENR’s cease-and-desist order halting the dumping.
The LGU said the only solution it could think of was to cover the dumpsite with soil instead.