To prevent theft of wires: Cebu City to regulate junkshops

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Michael Ralota, the president of the Association of Barangay Councils, is coming up with an ordinance that will regulate the scrap metal business to avoid incidents of stolen items being sold to them.

The proposal to craft an ordinance to regulate junkshops was made when the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications (PLDT) complained to the City Hall on the rampant stealing of their materials that often end up in junkshops.

In last week’s meeting of the ABC board, Ralota said the PLDT has identified 13 barangays that have been victimized by wire thieves.

These barangays include Carreta, Guadalupe, Kalunasan, Bulacao, Calamba, Kamagayan, Labangon, Mabolo, Sambag I, Sambag II, Tejero, Tisa and Zapatera.

 “The ordinance will cover all duly registered junkshops and junkyards doing business within the territorial jurisdiction of the city including ambulant or itinerant junk buyers and junk dealers operating in the city,” read the proposed ordinance Ralota crafted.

Ralota said it is common knowledge that buying stolen scrap metal is penalized by certain laws like the Anti-Fencing Law and the Penal Code of the Philippines.

He said local governments are vested with authority to regulate the businesses within their localities and formulate ordinances.

If the ordinance is approved, junkshop owners will be required to get barangay clearance and mayor’s permit to operate.

If they operate without clearances, they will be liable to pay an administrative or compromise penalty in the amount of P1,000 for the first offense.

The penalty is raised to P3,000 for the second offense and for third offense, the closure of the junkshop, a P5,000-fine and the confiscation of all junk materials including tools.

Under the proposed ordinance, every junkshop owner or operator shall maintain two kinds of transaction books – the record acquisitions or purchases and the record disposals or sales of junk materials.

The books shall be made available to law enforcers for inspections during business hours and shall be preserved for one year after the date of the last transaction is recorded in the books.

Prior to the use of the books, it shall be presented to, and have it recorded at, the Cebu City Police Office.

The junkshop or junkyard owners are also encouraged to organize themselves to protect them against any form of “abuse or coercive practice” that could be committed by law enforcers. — (FREEMAN)