Hundreds of the impounded chickens have reportedly died due to heat stroke. Photo by Armand Galang
SAN ANTONIO, Nueva Ecija — The local government and a poultry farm here are now locked in a legal battle after a total of 2,015 chickens harvested from the latter were seized in an animal quarantine checkpoint recently.
Charges of violation of Municipal Ordinance 042-2017 or Revised Revenue Code were filed against businesswoman Lani Javier of LV Javier Poultry farm by the business permit and licensing office on March 16, records obtained by the media showed.
Remigio Catle, BPLO chief, said four trucks loaded with chicken from LV Javier Poultry farm were accosted along Papaya-Sta. Cruz Road at about 7 p.m. on March 12.
“Na dahil sa napag-alaman na ang mga trucks ay nanggaling sa LV Javier na may pasong Mayor’s Permit ang mga lulang manok ng apat na sasakyan ay kinumpiska at inilagak sa impounding area ng munisipyo,” Catle said in a charge sheet.
He noted that transporting birds from LV Javier indicates that the farm operates under expired permit.
Emil Bundoc, municipal agriculturist, said he sought the help of the town police in establishing checkpoint after death of hundreds of chickens from suspected bird flu on March 4 and amid reported cases in Bulacan and Pampanga.
But Javier expressed belief that her business which has been operating for 14 years is being politically harassed as her husband, retired police general Agripino Javier, is challenging reelectionist Mayor Arvin Salonga in the forthcoming May elections.
“Nag-apply ako sa kanila January, then hiningan nila ko ng maraming requirements na supposed to be ay apat na requirements lang. Yung DTI (Department of Trade and Industry business name registration), yung mayor’s permit na dati, property tax and barangay clearance. Yun lang yung common na hinihingi supposed to be,” Javier said.
This time, however, the LGU allegedly asked for more requirements that include documents intended for the Bureau of Internal Revenue, she said. Javier said she had complied but ended up still denied of permit.
Salonga, for his part, denied politicking the business permit.
“The ball has not even reached his table,” he said, since the BPLO has yet to approve Javier’s application due to lack of sanitary permit.
Issuance of a mayor’s permit, Salonga said, is ministerial on his part should the applicant comply with all requirements.
Javier said he is also seeking court intervention to let her harvest over 100,000 more chicken in her farm.
She said she loaded the farm in the first week of February on the belief that the LGU has extended old permits to March 31. The birds are to be harvested in 33 days.
But the LGU, in a resolution, provided an extension of only up to Feb. 28, Salonga said.
