BAYBAY CITY– Palompon, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate, proprietor of the DBSN Farms Agriventures Corp., together with his family filed a multi-million damaged suit against former Palompon Mayor Myra Georgina Arevalo for the recovery of damages at the Regional Trial Court Branch 14, this city.
Included in the complaint filed by Oñate on December 28 was Jerome Pastor, former municipal planning and development officer of Palompon.
Arevalo could not be reached for her comment on the complaint against her.
The case stemmed from the action of Arevalo, who was mayor at that time, on illegal, inappropriate, and pure political harassment from her denial to the renewal of the business permit of the DBSN Breeder farm located in Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon last January 25, 2021 and issuance of cease and decease order on February 19, 2021 despite complying with all statutory requirements.
The Oñates believed that the closure made by Arevalo was designed merely to harass them and for purely personal and political motives.
It can be recalled that a temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction were already issued by Branch 17 of the Regional Trial Court of Palompon and upheld that DBSN has the right to continue the chicken breeder farm operations.
Such actions made by Arevalo and Pastor have caused DBSN to suffer from huge financial losses and due to the non-delivery of hatching eggs to the hatchery by virtue of the questioned cease and desist order of respondent, the DBSN suffered additional losses in terms of penalties from San Miguel Foods Inc. and paid the amount of over P110.93 million.
The DBSN management prayed that both Arevalo and Pastor be jointly and severally liable for the damages in terms of loss of income and penalties incurred due to the non-delivery of fertilized eggs in the amount of P195.25 million.
Lawyer Gerestain Banzon, who accompanied DBSN management in filing, in an interview said they filed the case for recovery of damages here because the main office of DBSN is located in Brgy. Antipolo, Albuera, Leyte which is under the jurisdiction of RTC Branch 14 here.
He added that more than P195 million in damage came from the penalties of DBSN for the non-delivery of hatching eggs to the hatchery of San Miguel Corporation worth P110.93 million and the company’s losses worth P84.31 million.
(ROBERT DEJON)
