Probe finds no evidence human waste dumped in Colon

Local

A CEBU City Health Department (CHD) investigation found no significant evidence linking any establishment in the Colon and Carbon districts to allegations that human urine was being dumped into public drainage systems.

This is according to an official report submitted following a multi-agency probe ordered by City Hall.

The findings come more than two weeks after Mayor Nestor Archival directed city offices to investigate a viral social media complaint alleging that workers in downtown Cebu were forced to urinate in containers that were later emptied into roadside canals due to a lack of restroom access.

In a complaint investigation report dated April 28, the CHD said inspections conducted in the Colon and Carbon areas yielded “no significant findings related to the disposal incident.”

The department conducted a series of inspections after concerns circulated online about an individual allegedly disposing of liquid waste believed to be human urine into a public drainage system.

According to the report, the first inspection was carried out on April 27 along Colon Street, where health personnel visited food and non-food establishments to identify the source of the alleged improper disposal.

“Based on the assessment conducted, all establishments inspected showed no significant findings related to the disposal incident,” the report stated.

Inspectors found toilet facilities operational and drainage systems functioning properly in the establishments they visited. The only recurring concern noted was flooding during the rainy season.

During the same inspection, the team observed and documented an individual urinating beside Colon Street near a drainage area. Investigators noted that the person appeared to be mentally incapacitated.

The CHD said a follow-up inspection was conducted the following day after investigators identified the specific location shown in the viral complaint.

However, the owner of the establishment initially declined entry because the mission order presented by the inspectors did not specify the exact street where the alleged incident occurred.

Despite denying entry at the time, the owner reportedly acknowledged that water was being discharged into the area but clarified that it came from an air-conditioning unit and wastewater generated from floor cleaning activities, not human waste.

A third inspection was later conducted using a corrected mission order, allowing health personnel to enter and assess the premises.

The report said inspectors found the establishment’s drainage and toilet facilities to be in good condition and discovered no evidence connecting the business to the allegations.

Investigators noted, however, that it remained possible that any violation, if one had existed, may have been corrected before the inspection was conducted.

Following a memorandum issued by the Office of the City Administrator on April 27, the CHD expanded its investigation and conducted a broader sanitary assessment of establishments and public facilities in the Colon and Carbon areas.

In Colon Street alone, inspectors assessed 66 establishments, including food and non-food businesses.

The survey found 60 functional comfort rooms and five shared but operational restroom facilities. Four comfort rooms were found clogged and unsanitary.

In the Carbon Market, inspectors examined restroom facilities in the Interim Building and various market units.

Of the 35 cubicles in the Interim Building, 25 were operational while 10 were undergoing maintenance. Additional facilities in Units I and III were also found largely operational.

While the investigation did not substantiate claims of urine dumping by establishments, health officials identified several sanitation concerns in the area.

Among the issues documented were market stalls being used as sleeping quarters, incidents of open defecation by nearby residents, the presence of rats, and recurring flooding during heavy rains.

The findings come after Archival ordered a joint investigation involving the CHD, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the Business Permit and Licensing Office in response to the viral complaint.

The mayor earlier said the probe would determine whether sanitation violations had occurred and whether some establishments were restricting employees' access to comfort rooms.

The social media complaint that prompted the investigation alleged that a worker from a downtown establishment had emptied what appeared to be urine into a roadside canal near Carbon Public Market. The complainant also claimed some employees in the area were not allowed to use the workplace restrooms.

City authorities have not publicly identified any establishment linked to the allegations.

Based on the CHD's report, inspectors were unable to establish evidence supporting claims that human urine was being improperly disposed of into public drainage systems by businesses in the areas inspected.(TGP)