Kara David’s Documentary Defended by i-Witness Amid Online Backlash
i-WITNESS – The documentary program has defended its documentary Ibinasurang Paraiso after online claims questioned its findings.
In an official statement, the program said it stands by the facts presented in Kara David’s report, which highlighted the environmental and human impact of an open dumpsite on Aeta ancestral land in Sitio Tibag, Barangay Naugsol, Subic, Zambales.
According to i-Witness, its team spent more than a month investigating the issue and found that the dumpsite had been operating for six years without the required permits. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) declared the site illegal in 2022 for violating the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Although authorities ordered its closure, the dumpsite reportedly continued operating until another cease-and-desist order was issued in March 2026. Following the documentary’s broadcast and the public response it generated, the DENR issued another order this month for the site’s full closure.
The program also addressed claims circulating online. It clarified that the dumpsite is located within the recognized ancestral domain of the Aeta Ambala Indigenous Cultural Community, based on records from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the area’s Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title.
i-Witness also rejected claims that there was no foul odor or that no community lived near the site. The team documented abandoned homes just meters from the dumpsite and interviewed residents who said the smell, flies, and pollution affected their health and daily lives. They also reported that a nearby stream had become unsafe for drinking because of garbage contamination. Community leaders further confirmed that the dumpsite affected their hunting grounds and sources of livelihood.
The program stressed that its findings were supported by official government documents, interviews, and the DENR’s own investigations. It added that the impact of a dumpsite should not be judged only by odor or nearby houses, but also by its long-term effects on the environment and local communities. i-Witness concluded by reaffirming its commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism and said it fully stands by the facts presented in Ibinasurang Paraiso.
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