Community wants quarrying stopped
AGUILAR—Residents of Barangay Bayaoas in this town filed a formal complaint, demanded the termination of the ongoing quarry operations in their village.
The Concerned citizens of Barangay Bayaoas led by ex-Barangay Captain Arnulfo Repancol, ex-Brgy. Kagawad Alex Dela Cruz, and incumbent Brgy. Kgwd. Edwin Biag, with nine others, condemned the alleged quarrying by Wilpres Enterprises.
In their complaint, dated June 15, 2015, submitted to the Sangguniang Bayan of Aguilar, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, the complainants said the quarrying operations have resulted in “great damages to our environment and already imposing danger to the barangay as a whole.”
The operations, which have been obtaining aggregates particularly sand and gravel from Bayaoas Brook, among others, have reportedly destroyed government flood-control structures and the dike which served as protection of the whole village.
“Muling tinibag ng Wilpres Enterprises ang ginawang dike ng DPWH bilang proteksiyon sa pagkatibag ng riverbank malapit sa paanan ng Bayaoas Bridge,” the residents complained.
The dike was reportedly destroyed to create a passage for the company’s dump trucks and heavy equipment for quarry operations.
The complainants also objected to the sale of sand and gravel of the village officials collected from the dredging and desiltation operations program and proposed instead that the sand and gravel be dumped into the unfinished farm to market roads or riverbanks.
The complainants suspect anomalous arrangements entered into by the town and barangay officials who issued the permit for the quarrying operations because the barangay council led by Brgy. Captain Merle Ragel, has reportedly been not disclosing the right amount of revenues earned from the quarrying.
The alleged illegal quarry operations of the Wilpres Enterprises in their village have been going on since December 2013, noted the complaint. (Johanne R. Macob)
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