3 trucks carrying limestone without permit intercepted

CEBU, Philippines - Three ten-wheeler trucks were intercepted for allegedly carrying loads of limestone without a hauling permit Monday along Maximo V. Patalinjug Avenue in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.

Senior Police Officer 2 Jomar Ybañez, assigned at Pusok Police Station, said truck drivers Renato Batucan Jr., Arniel Basanta and Redgie Bacariza took the limestone from the construction area of Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base.

Batucan hails from Danao City, Basanta from Toledo City while Bacariza is from Naga City.

Ybañez said while he was at the police station, he noticed that pieces of limestone were falling down from the three passing trucks and eventually trailed behind them.

"Passing sila sa (barangay) Pusok, nagtagak-tagak ang mga limestone. Maka-cause baya na og accident. Akong gisita unya nangayo ko'g permit," Ybañez said.

But the drivers, however, failed to present permits as they were allegedly only instructed to bring the limestone to a private subdivision in Barangay Calawisan.

The limestone-loaded trucks were confiscated at around 3 p.m. last Monday and were temporarily placed at the City Hall grounds.

The trucks are bearing plate numbers UJV 541, YFJ 286 and YCT 867.

Ybañez said the Mom's Builders, sub-contractor of Grandby Corporation, hired the truck drivers to haul the limestone from the construction area inside MBEAB.

The trucks were turned over to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office around 11 a.m. yesterday.

Adelino Padilla, agricultural technologist of CENRO, said necessary documents were processed at past 12 noon yesterday after the subcontractor violated the city's ordinance.

Under the City Ordinance Number 609, the city prohibits owners, operators and drivers of cargo trucks, vans or motor vehicles to carry boulders, stones or sands out of the jurisdiction of Lapu-Lapu City without necessary permits from the mayor.

Marvin Siegue, supervisor of Mom's Builders, went to CENRO and submitted an affidavit of undertaking and paid a total penalty fee of P3,000.

"That we will not haul any boulder, stones and sands extracted from Lapu-Lapu City without securing first the necessary mayor's permit and licensing fee issued by the city of Lapu-Lapu," reads the affidavit of undertaking.

Padilla said each truck has a penalty fee of P1,000.

The trucks were then released by the CENRO office at 2 p.m. yesterday. — (FREEMAN)