Atty. Ruphil Bañoc
The people of Barangay Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu clapped their hands in jubilation when finally a closure order was issued and served against a large scale piggery that has been operating in their place. They are very happy and vindicated as they witnessed the owner and his three employees being arrested by the authorities for violating environmental laws.
This was the way my field reporter, Paul Lauro, described the aura of the people in the place during the live coverage over dyHP RMN Cebu last Tuesday, February 26, 2019. Lauro made a blow-by-blow account when he had the chance to accompany the government authorities who served the order.
It was a joint operation of the national Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). They were armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court, Branch 24, in Cebu City.
The application of the warrant was a product of several months of monitoring by the composite team of NBI, PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). They found out that the piggery’s drainage system emptied out directly into the sea.
The DPWH cut off the drainage system of the piggery. The NBI claimed that it chanced upon the owner and his plant manager and two others; hence, they were arrested.
Santiago Tanchan III, owner of the Multi-farms Agro Industrial Development Corporation; Rosalio Aguanta, manager; and maintenance officers Jayson Fritz Aguanta and Jeramil Sabala, are facing charges in violation of the environmental laws.
Employees of a piggery farm in Barangay Sangat, San Fernando town in Cebu check the wastewater pipes that were cut off by authorities as it was allegedly used to dispose wastewater into sea. CDN Digital photo | Tonee Despojo
Lauro tried to approach the owner for a live interview, but he refused, telling our reporter, instead, to just wait for his lawyer. The NBI has formally filed cases against the owner and operator of the piggery for violations of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines and Philippine Clean Water Act.
Note that it is not just a backyard piggery operation. It is a large farm operation with more than 10,000 heads and all their untreated waste went directly to the sea. I cannot imagine the volume of the untreated waste. I cannot imagine the foul odor that suffers the people in the area.
Hence, while the exact location is Sitio Magtalisay, Sangat San Fernando, many called the place as “Bario Baho,” a description they think fitted to the place. The great anomaly is highly noticeable to every person who can visit or even just pass by the place.
It was also reported that the said piggery has been operating there since the 80’s. People are already tired making complaints as they have not witnessed concrete actions from concerned government offices until Tuesday of this week. What a ridiculous incident!
The unavoidable questions are: How come it operated for a long period of time? How come the owner got the necessary permits from DENR and LGU when the piggery wastes were thrown directly to the sea?
It is a fact that the permits are renewable every year. Does this mean to say that every year the government agencies that would issue the necessary permits are unable to notice the violations? Or were there miracles that happened every year? How many government officials became rich out of this piggery?
This incident is a manifestation of some greedy businessmen who just think of their own profits, without considering the danger that they give to the community. This is another long time staggering picture of corruption in government. What a tragic episode!