CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A legislative measure that will hold accountable and even liable owners of warehouses in Pampanga used in illegal activities is currently under deliberation at the sangguniang panlalawigan here.
Proposed SP Ordinance No. 34 aims to put in place comprehensive regulations on the establishment and operation of warehouses as part of broad-based initiatives to ensure the safety and integrity of business operations within the province.
“Sa proposed ordinance, masasaway na silang mag-operate nang walang business license, o hindi akma ang license nila sa negosyong itinayo nila, o yung paiba-iba ang negosyo nila na wala doon sa nakasaad sa business license. Ang mananagot yung mga may-ari ng bodega, sila yung hahabulin namin,” noted Vice Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda during a meeting with local officials of Mexico and San Simon last Monday at the SP session hall.
Mexico and San Simon reportedly have the largest concentration of warehouses in Pampanga where a number have been raided by law enforcement authorities for alleged illicit operations from contraband cigarettes to illegal substances.
Only last Sept. 28, joint elements of the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Customs seized a shipment of 560-kilogram suspected shabu from a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Malino, Mexico.
The vice governor sternly enjoined the local officials to “stamp out corruption and ensure strict compliance in all levels” in the regulation of warehouses in their areas.
She stressed a distinctive feature of proposed Ordinance No. 34 is its provision of accountability on all parties involved in illegal activities within the confines of warehouses, extending liability beyond the lessees to the warehouse owners themselves.
Mexico Mayor Rodencio Gonzales and San Simon acting Mayor Ryan Viray committed their LGUs to undertake, with concerned agencies, regular, unannounced inspections of warehouses within their jurisdictions.
“Yun ang instructions ko ngayon. Sabi ko tutulungan (legitimate business owners). Kailangan lang kumpleto ang dokumento. Lahat ng walang businesses or business permit ngayon, ipasasara ko,” said Gonzales.
For his part, Viray declared: “Ako bilang bagong-upong (local chief executive) – two weeks pa lang po ako – responsibilidad ko po na gawin ang tama, lalo na ngayon meron po tayong drugs sa Mexico. So ngayon nagbuo na po kami ng (joint inspection team) para po ma-inspect lahat ng mga warehouses na labas-masok.”
The vice governor noted that these inspections will play a crucial role in safeguarding legitimate businesses and maintaining a secure environment for investors.
She furthered that under the leadership of Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, Pampanga is taking every measure to ensure the safety and security of his constituents and foster a transparent, secure, and vibrant business environment. Punto News Team
