SCRAP metal businessmen may have escaped the wrath of Bohol chief executives this time, but perhaps not in the coming days.
Faced with the technical problem of quorum Thursday afternoon, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Bohol Chapter agreed to “allow a few more days for the issue to be taken,” or at least until they could muster a neat majority to decide.
The meeting started with a good majority, but some mayors, attending to pressing official concerns have begged the afternoon off, leaving a no quorum.
All however agree that the scrap metal industry has become a major problem in towns.
Earlier, League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) President Exuperio lloren, in a radio interview admitted that the scrap metal industry needs regulation in as much as it has attracted fly by night operators who buy and fence stolen items.
Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco has said the industry has instigated the robberies happening in towns, and it is compounded when scrap metal buyers unleash an army of kids to gather scrap in barangays.
A current law deters police authorities from apprehending minors.
Tubigon Mayor Luna Piezas opened the discussion with a sad tale of a commercial communications tower facility in his town having to rewire three times in a month. The facility reportedly lost its service drop-wires to daring robbers who steal live wires for the copper content.
Aside from Tubigon, service drop wire robbers did not spare public water facilities in Corella and Balilihan while Loom also reportedly lost its plaza lighting facilities when at least two high school students stole the wires.
Junkshops and scrap metal buyers copper pay about P220 per kilo of stripped copper wire, information reaching mayors revealed.
Also on top list of stolen items that often end up with the scrap buyers are water meters, lose metal accessories, car batteries, steel gates and even hinges, said Piezas.
Mayor Lloyd Peter Lopez said Loon waterworks lost 46 water meters in a span of 6 months, seriously causing problems.
Mayor Victoria Chatto of Balilihan argued that if there are no scrap metal buyers, then there would be no more robbers.
Based on this fact, Evasco proposed that towns junk the scrap business.
His stand is based on the fact that “it is not just buying or selling, but the illegal use of kids and the instigation to steal.
While he admitted suspending permit issuances to junk buyers, businessmen resort to mobile scrap collectors who to hound communities.
While everyone admitted a move to do something on the scrap industry, mayors however decided to take the topic on another day to fully appraise other town heads.
The issue is calendared to the next LMP special meeting this July 16. (rachiu/PIA)