RESTRAINING ORDER. Palompon, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate speaking to supporters in San Joaquin village on September 8. He issued a statement after the issuance of a temporary restraining order prohibiting authorities from excavating waste allegedly buried in the mayor's property. (Photo courtesy of Ramon Oñate)
TACLOBAN CITY – A local court has barred the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) from excavating an alleged dumping site in Palompon town in Leyte.
An official of the DENR regional office here said they did not pursue their plan to survey the area and excavate the alleged dumping of hazardous waste within the property reportedly owned by Palompon Mayor Ramon Oñate in compliance with the court order.
Ma. Dioleta Vilas, assistant chief of DENR Survey and Mapping Division, said in an interview Saturday that they will await the directives from regional executive director Lormelyn Claudio on what to do next following the court order.
In an Aug. 25, 2023 letter, Claudio informed Oñate of the plan to excavate the alleged dumping of domestic waste, bulk waste, e-waste, and other hazardous waste in upland San Joaquin village from Sept. 6 to 8.
On the afternoon of Sept. 8, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 17 in Palompon town issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting the DENR from conducting excavation activities.
During an inquiry at the House of Representatives on May 31, Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez tagged Oñate as the one who established waste dumping facilities within the protected area of Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve.
The waste is allegedly from DBSN Farms Agriventure Corporation in Albuera town and Zachary Farms in Palompon, also owned by Oñate.
Oñate told reporters on Saturday that the case on violation of environmental laws was dismissed by the RTC in 2019
“They filed a motion for reconsideration and it did not succeed and turned down by the court. Now, they have filed a motion for reconsideration in the Court of Appeals (CA), so pending the resolution of the CA with the due respect it is supposed to be, they can be liable for subjudice because it is still pending,” Oñate said.
The RTC will hold a summary hearing on Sept. 21 if there’s a need to extend the TRO. (PNA)
