Mayor Ramon Oñate of Palompon, Leyte has successfully obtained a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in their attempt to excavate at DBSN Farms Agriventure Corp., which is owned by the mayor himself. The TRO was issued by Judge Dexter Aguilar of the Palompon Regional Trial Court Branch 17 on September 8, 2023.
The court order stated that there is a possibility of “grave injustice and irreparable injury” to the petitioner if the excavation proceeds before the matter is heard. The dispute arose from a complaint filed by former Mayor Georgina Arevalo, who was Mayor Oñate’s rival during the 2022 elections. Arevalo alleged that the company engaged in open dumping of domestic waste, bulk waste, e-waste, and other hazardous waste in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon.
This issue gained further attention when 4th District Representative Richard I. Gomez initiated a Congressional Inquiry due to residents’ complaints about the burying of solid and hazardous waste in the area. In a letter to Mayor Oñate dated August 25, DENR-8 Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio stated that they would coordinate with the mayor regarding the excavation, which was scheduled to take place between September 6 and 8.
However, Maria Dioleta Villas, the assistant chief of the survey and mapping division, clarified that the DENR’s instructions were limited to conducting a map reading within the breeding farm to determine if the alleged dumping site was located within the reserved forest or the watershed area.
Mayor Oñate raised concerns about the complainant’s haste in taking action. In his petition for injunction, prohibition, preliminary injunction, and issuance of a TRO, he argued 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.
Furthermore, Mayor Oñate emphasized the need for the DENR to follow the rule of law, requesting a search warrant or court order before any excavation activities can take place on private property.
Amidst the legal proceedings, the Palompon mayor reassured his supporters and employees who gathered at the farm not to be alarmed. He expressed his hope for peace and order to be maintained in their beloved municipality.
Mayor Oñate also highlighted the significance of DBSN Farms Agriventure Corp., stating that it is the largest single corporation in the Visayas and Mindanao, employing over 600 workers.
The outcome of this ongoing dispute between Mayor Oñate, the DENR, and his rival, former Mayor Arevalo, remains to be seen as the court further investigates the matter.
