The local government unit of La Trinidad, Benguet has closed down five chicken dung trade centers due to the operators’ continued disregard of the municipality’s ordinance banning such trade within the capital town.
Mayor Romeo Salda on Sept. 7 led the serving of the notices of closure to Miguel Jefferd Bogsit, Nora Lagadeo, Melecio Orid, Angel Lopez, and Rose Maliones with the latter refusing to receive the notice.
Salda said they have given the traders one day to dispose the chicken dung and to vacate their respective trading areas.
He said the notice of closure is a reiteration of the earlier directive involving the closure of establishments that sell, dispose, and store chicken dung in the municipality which was recently issued on Aug 27, 2020 pursuant to Administrative Order 08 s. of 2010.
The AO 08-2010 was issued by then Mayor Gregorio Abalos on July 23, 2010 which prohibits the sale, disposal, and storage of chicken dung in the municipality.
“The validity of which was affirmed by the denial of the application for the issuance of an injunctive relief in the case of Timog et al vs. the municipality of La Trinidad by Regional Trial Court Judge Danilo Camacho. A motion for reconsideration was likewise denied,” Salda said.
The mayor was referring to the case filed by Beatriz Timog, Rose Maliones, and Arnel Lagadeo in 2018 against the municipality where they prayed for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction in relation to the issuance by the LGU of a closure order meant to implement an administrative order. The case was dismissed on Dec. 6, 2019.
AO 08-2010 ‘actually partakes of the nature of an ordinance and it is presumed valid until annulled.’ Valid to this day, it is, since no such subsequent order/s causing its nullification or revocation was ever issued, according to Salda.
The mayor also cited a court decision declaring the trading and storage of chicken dung within the municipality as a public nuisance as affirmed by the Court of Appeals.
He added that trucks or vehicles loaded with chicken dung for delivery to farms and farmers are allowed to pass through the municipality.
La Trinidad Municipal Police Station Chief Maj. Cleff Vencio said some of the dealers still continued to operate even after receiving the notice for closure.
Barangay Shilan will hold a consultation regarding the operation of chicken dung trade in the area, where residents are divided on the continuous operation of chicken dung traders. – Ofelia C. Empian
May 1, 2024
