TACLOBAN CITY – Mayor Ramon Oñate of Palompon, Leyte has secured a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the attempt of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to excavate at DBSN Farms Agriventure Corp. that he owns in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon.
In an order issued by Judge Dexter Aguilar of the Palompon Regional Regional Trial Court Branch 17 dated September 8, 2023, it stated that "the petitioner will suffer grave injustice and irreparable injury because of the blatant violation of its constitutional rights before the matter is heard."
The issue stemmed from a complaint of Oñate's rival during the 2022 elections, former Mayor Georgina Arevalo, for the alleged open dumping of domestic waste, bulk waste, e-waste, and other hazardous waste in the barangay.
"The burying of solid and hazardous waste is also a concern contained in the complaint of residents brought to the 4th District Representative Hon. Richard I. Gomez which leads to Congressional Inquiry," DENR-8 Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio said in her letter to Oñate on August 25, adding that they will coordinate with Oñate on to the exact date of the excavation which will be any day from September 6 to 8.
Survey and mapping division assistant chief Maria Dioleta Villas said that based on the travel order issued by Claudio, they were only ordered to conduct a map reading inside the breeding farm to determine if the alleged dumping of hazardous wastes was located within the reserved forest or the watershed area.
Oñate questioned the hasty movement of the complainant.
In his petition for injunction, prohibition, preliminary injunction, and issuance of a TRO, he claimed that the order to excavate the alleged dumping site in Barangay San Joaquin was issued by Claudio without first releasing the findings of the site inspection conducted on the petitioner's facilities in Albuera and Palompon on July 27 and 28, 2023.
He also asked the DENR to follow the rule of law, citing the need for a search warrant or court order to conduct any excavation activities on private property.
The Palompon mayor also asked his supporters and employees who trooped his farm not to be worried.
"I hope that we will regain peace and order in our beloved municipality of Palompon," he told his supporters after the Ormoc City Mobile Force Company and suspicious vehicles were seen near the farm.
DBSN, according to Oñate, is the largest single corporation in the Visayas and Mindanao with over 600 workers and counting.