Cebu piggery shut down for dumping waste at sea

A piggery based in Cebu was shut down after a pipe used to dump its wastes was discovered under the sea.

According to a report by Raffy Tima on "24 Oras," the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) found the 400-meter pipe dumping animal waste in the waters near Barangay Mantalisay, San Fernando.

"Makikita natin nakabaon sa lupa 'yung pipe, PVC pipe, at doon lumalabas 'yung animal waste papunta sa dagat,” Commander Armand Balilo, spokesperson of the PCG, said.

"Now that we know kung paano ‘yung kanilang modus, kung paano 'yung sistema nila, we will look into it, palagay ko mahuhuli sila,” he added.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Environmental Crime Division took a sample of the waste in the piggery to compare it with the waste found inside the underwater pipe.

Two search warrants were issued against the piggery for violations of Republic Act 8550 or Fishery Code of the Philippines and Republic Act 9275 or Philippine Clean Water Act.

Four people, including the piggery’s owner, were arrested upon discovery of the violations.

The Coast Guard plans to expand its investigation on other coastal areas to check for similar violations on waste disposal.

"Baka mamaya sa mga ibang lugar hindi lang sa Cebu. Doon sa mga cities na malapit sa dagat o sa mga ilog, dapat inspekin din,” Balilo said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is further studying this waste disposal practice as organic waste is falsely believed to be a non-pollutant. —Marisse Panaligan/ LDF, GMA News