CEBU CITY, Philippines – Authorities shut down a large-scale piggery in San Fernando town, southeastern Cebu after it was caught in the act of directly discharging untreated livestock waste into the sea.
The piggery was caught in a joint operation conducted by the central offices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Central Visayas offices of the NBI, BFAR, Philippine Coast Guard (PGC), Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) on Tuesday morning, February 26, 2019.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael John Encina told reporters in a press interview that they served a search warrant against the piggery following reports of foul odor in Sitio Baho, Barangay Mantalisay, San Fernando being attributed to the establishment, which is located just along the Cebu South Road or N. Bacalso Avenue.
Encina did not divulge the name of the establishment pending an ongoing inventory of the pieces of evidence gathered within the property.
The interagency operation also arrested four individuals, including one who is believed to be the operator of the piggery. All of them are now under the custody of the NBI-7.
Encina said cases for violating the Philippine Fisheries Code (Republic Act No. 8550) and the Philippine Clean Water Act (Republic Act No. 9275) will be filed against the four individuals arrested, and others who will be held accountable such as the owners of the piggery.
“Bandang 6 a.m. yung operation. Pag dating namin doon, patuloy pa yung pagdischarge. Pero ngayon, pinahinto na yung operations nang piggery,” he added.
Based on their initial findings, the piggery has been operating since the 1980s without any environmental permit.
Encina also said its wastewater treatment facility is no longer functioning.
“We will be conducting follow-up operations para sa mga owners, and other individuals na mapapatunayan na accountable,” he said.
One of the pieces of evidence authorities gathered was a 400-meter blue-colored pipe that connects the area where the establishment deposits fecal waste to the sea. The pipe, Encina said, has a diameter of 12 inches.
“From the piggery itself, around 400 meters, direcho siya (pipe) sa shoreline. Doon nila tinatapon (sa karagatan). Yan yung nakakabahala kasi yung dumi nang baboy, direcho tinatapon,” he added.
He added that based on residents’ accounts, the name of Sitio Baho originated from the unpleasant smell in the area that is attributed to the piggery.
“Kaya nga tinatawag yung area na Barrio Baho (Sitio Baho),” Encina said.
Meanwhile, the environmental bureau of the PCG will be conducting water sampling in the sea where the waste was being discharged.
“Mag deploy kami nang diving team doon para mag conduct nang water sampling. Sama na sa water sampling ay yung pag determine nang lawak nang dagat na apektado, at yung quality nang seawater natin doon.” he said. /bmjo