Story/Photo: ELMER RECUERDO
PALOMPON, Leyte – A Leyte town mayor is accusing Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez of using government agencies in harassing him in retaliation for his support to the former's political opponent in the 2022 congressional election.
Palompon Mayor Ramon O?ate said the different accusations of violation on environmental laws that are directed against him are "pure and simple harassment" that Gomez is orchestrating.
"He is not doing it personally but he is using the different agencies of the government for his bidding. Lahat ng mga agencies na ito ay tinatakot niya para lamang apihin ako," O?ate said.
Gomez could not be reached for comments.
On Sunday, over a hundred law enforcers including anti-riot policemen in shield and truncheons, SWAT, operatives from Regional Mobile Force Company, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Enforcement Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources stormed his farm in Brgy. San Joaquin to implement a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court.
Palompon Mayor Ramon O?ate said the different accusations of violation on environmental laws that are directed against him are "pure and simple harassment" that Gomez is orchestrating.
"He is not doing it personally but he is using the different agencies of the government for his bidding. Lahat ng mga agencies na ito ay tinatakot niya para lamang apihin ako," O?ate said.
Gomez could not be reached for comments.
On Sunday, over a hundred law enforcers including anti-riot policemen in shield and truncheons, SWAT, operatives from Regional Mobile Force Company, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Enforcement Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources stormed his farm in Brgy. San Joaquin to implement a search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court.
The subject of the search warrant are solid and hazardous wastes consisting of chicken parts, chicken droppings, intestines, feathers, dead chicken, large blue plastic drums, medicine bottles and plastic bags with contents that are allegedly buried in the premises of DBSN Farms Agriventures Corporation that O?ate owns.
The search warrant was issued by RTC Judge Georgina Uy Perez last January 16 for violation of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018 based on a complaint filed by DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio.
In issuing the warrant, Perez said the law prohibits the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste detrimental to protected areas or to plants and animals that inhabit them. She said there are good and sufficient reasons to believe that the farm has been dumping these wastes.
The warrant included the coordinates of 30 sites within the farm where the hazardous materials were allegedly buried. The DENR, accompanied by policemen, conducted a search in three random sites last January 19 (2024) but no such hazardous materials were found.
The search warrant was issued by RTC Judge Georgina Uy Perez last January 16 for violation of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018 based on a complaint filed by DENR Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio.
In issuing the warrant, Perez said the law prohibits the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste detrimental to protected areas or to plants and animals that inhabit them. She said there are good and sufficient reasons to believe that the farm has been dumping these wastes.
The warrant included the coordinates of 30 sites within the farm where the hazardous materials were allegedly buried. The DENR, accompanied by policemen, conducted a search in three random sites last January 19 (2024) but no such hazardous materials were found.
O?ate said he welcomes the conduct of the search as ordered by the court but added that the search warrant was already implemented.
"Out of the mentioned coordinates in the search warrant, the DENR said that they will only choose three to dig," O?ate narrated. "I personally asked the DENR officials if we were done with the search and they said yes. They even removed all the equipment that they brought in and no personnel was left so we were under the impression that the search was over."
"Out of the mentioned coordinates in the search warrant, the DENR said that they will only choose three to dig," O?ate narrated. "I personally asked the DENR officials if we were done with the search and they said yes. They even removed all the equipment that they brought in and no personnel was left so we were under the impression that the search was over."
In January 21, 2024 (Sunday), however, O?ate was surprised to find the DENR team back bringing with them more law enforcers from different agencies.
The mayor initially opposed the conduct of another search but eventually relented when the NBI team insisted that they are mandated to enforce the search warrant.
Using six backhoes they brought to dig in, the team unearthed some sacks containing foul-smelling materials in one site. Samples were taken for laboratory testing.
O?ate, however, said that the materials were chicken manure that were intentionally buried due to its foul smell.
"We bury chicken manure for six months until its ammonia content is neutralized before applying them as fertilizers to our plants here," he explained.
On Monday (January 22, 2024), Gomez posted in his social media account that tin cans and bottled water believed to be relief goods of typhoon Yolanda were found in the area.
"Buried thousands of Yolanda canned goods and bottled water were discovered in a Protected Area, a Forestland and Watershed area in Brgy. San Joaquin, Palompon via Search Warrant issued by a Leyte court," Gomez posted.(CJ/jmm/ER)
The mayor initially opposed the conduct of another search but eventually relented when the NBI team insisted that they are mandated to enforce the search warrant.
Using six backhoes they brought to dig in, the team unearthed some sacks containing foul-smelling materials in one site. Samples were taken for laboratory testing.
O?ate, however, said that the materials were chicken manure that were intentionally buried due to its foul smell.
"We bury chicken manure for six months until its ammonia content is neutralized before applying them as fertilizers to our plants here," he explained.
On Monday (January 22, 2024), Gomez posted in his social media account that tin cans and bottled water believed to be relief goods of typhoon Yolanda were found in the area.
"Buried thousands of Yolanda canned goods and bottled water were discovered in a Protected Area, a Forestland and Watershed area in Brgy. San Joaquin, Palompon via Search Warrant issued by a Leyte court," Gomez posted.(CJ/jmm/ER)
