WITH the closure order preventing chicken dung trading in La Trinidad, Benguet residents appealed to finally stop the operation of these businesses.
Some 414 signatories requested for the stoppage of chicken dung operation at the disputed boundaries of Barangay Shilan, La Trinidad and Barangay Caponga in the municipality of Tublay.
La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda said with no legal basis at hand, there should be no chicken dung trading allowed within the municipality.
The closure order of the executive chief seeks to cease the chicken dung trading operation in La Trinidad, released to Nora Lagadeo and Franklin Yubos, both engaged in chicken dung trading business at Sitio Tili, Barangay Shilan.
Salda said both were given an advisory on May 8 to apply for business permit in the said area, however, the operators cannot apply for the necessary permits because the sale and storage of chicken dung within the municipality was declared as a public nuisance by the Regional Trial Court of Benguet and was affirmed by the Court of Appeals.
The petition endorsed by barangay officials attaching the residents’ petition was received by the Business Permit and Licensing Section (BPLS) on May 30.
Upon serving the closure order on May 30, Business Licensing officer II Lawrence Balud said the appellants argued that the trading area is not within the territorial jurisdiction of La Trinidad.
Balud added the chicken dung trading of Franklin Yubos remains compliant while the BPLS still has to hear the response of the mayor for appropriate action of the petition.
On the same day, the office also released an advisory for two chicken dung traders without business permit prior to an inspection of their business establishment.
Two advisories were released to Aldin Talsan and Irish Bogsit engaged in the business without first securing a mayor’s permit of which under the revised revenue of 2017.
The traders were given until Friday to voluntary surrender and encouraged to apply for the said permit.
Failure on the part of the traders to comply with the advisory within the given period gives the municipal government no alternative but to order the immediate closure of business establishment, the advisory added.
The closure order also stated the operators cannot apply for the necessary permits prior to the sale and storage of chicken dung within the municipality was declared as a public nuisance per se by the Regional Trial Court of Benguet and was affirmed by the Court of Appeals and that as of May 28, there is yet no clear law governing the act.
An administrative order under the watch of former Mayor Gregorio Abalos has not been repealed nor modified expressly prohibit the sale, disposal, and storage of chicken dung.