Leyte map
(Updated: August 4, 2023)
MANILA, Philippines — The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Leyte has found violations in the operations of an animal breeding and processing farm in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon.
The PENRO said the DBSN Farms Agriventures Corporation has no permit to quarry or dig dumpsites to contain the wastes the farm produces in the area.
The DBSN has a 55,000-capacity chicken dressing plant in Albuera and a breeder farm in San Joaquin, Palompon with a capacity of 88,000 chicken heads.
In a one-page certification issued on July 14, 2023, PENRO officer-in-charge Macarthur O. Flores said that DBSN/DBSN Breeder Farm has “no existing record” for any permit applied for, or application “relative to any quarry operations” in the barangay.
The certification was noted by Jose Raymund A. Acol, who is the Assistant Provincial Legal Officer of Leyte and Overall Supervising Team Leader of the PSAG Task Force.
Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez, through House Resolution No. 778, has told the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that the DBSN Breeder Farm has been polluting the soil, air resources and waters of the Albuera-Tinag-an stream system that drains into the Ormoc Bay.
READ: Gomez says no politics behind probe of violator of environmental laws in Leyte
DBSN company speaks
The counsel of DBSN Farms Agriventures, however, said the House panel does no have any findings yet, accusing the committee of issuing false and misleading accusations.
The company’s legal representative said Gomez should instead file a case before the Office of the Ombudsman and not use the House procedure to advance the congressman’s “personal vendetta.”
The owner of DBSN is confident that it can answer and defend any case that will be filed against the company, thus, it will also give them the proper venue to refute Gomez’s accusations.
The company lawyers also accused Gomez of being disrespectful to the House committee on natural resources by dictating the outcome of the probe.
The DBSN also denied it operates a quarry that is why no existing records had been found to prove that the company has such facility.
During the House panel investigation, lawmakers found out that the breeder farm has been burying their chicken solid wastes in a dumpsite illegally excavated on Lot 5150 in Barangay San Joaquin.
The dumpsite is located inside the perimeter of the Palompon Watershed and Forest Reserve that was established under Proclamation 212 issued by the late president Corazon Aquino in 1988.
The DBSN also added that these are all allegations, saying an investigation is still ongoing and the company is not aware of any findings that had been made.
The company also denied burying chicken remains in a dumpsite.
Gomez, however, said, in line with the findings of the House committee’s investigation, criminal and administrative charges should be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against the owners for gross violation of the country’s land and environmental laws.
He has likewise recommended that the House panel “come up with a report and a conclusion” that the owners, along with complicit employees of the DENR regional office, “be charged” for violation of the Forestry Act and environmental management laws for environment pollution.
The DBSN said this will give the company proper venue to clear its name.