Caloocan City eyes ‘warehouse’ task force

An inter-agency inspection task force (IATTF) tasked to run after warehouses and similar establishments suspected to be illegally operating in Caloocan City was proposed yesterday by the local fire office and is expected to be approved by City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo.

Local fire marshal Chief Inspector Agapito Nacario, who initiated the move, said the proposal came in the wake of the discovery of the shabu laboratory inside a warehouse in Lawang Bato, Valenzuela City last week and a similar establishment in Navotas, where chemical components being used to manufacture shabu were found.

Earlier, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. ordered local government officials all over the country to conduct periodic inspections on all warehouses and establishments in their turf to identify those illegally operating and possibly uncover like what was unmasked in Valenzuela City. Police later learned that the building being rented by a Chinese national which was razed by fire turned out to be a shabu laboratory.

Some city officials expressed reservations over Lina’s directive saying the order could not be implemented, citing prohibitions under existing laws.

They said it would be difficult to apply the order on buildings suspected to be illegally operating unless they are armed with search warrants.

Nacario said the proposed task force, whose members would include representatives from the mayor’s office, local police, fire department, business and permits, health, engineering and building offices, and barangay officials, will be authorized to conduct surprise inspection/visitation on warehouses and storage facilities to find out if they comply with regulations as prescribed by the law.

"A mission order which will be duly signed by Mayor Malonzo will be issued to prevent indiscriminate inspection that may be interpreted as harassment," he said.

Nacario explained that he decided to come up with the move following reports of clandestine activities such as illegal manufacture of dangerous drugs, fake or imitated products including film piracy, smuggling, stolen vehicles, illegal storage of harmful substances or explosives being conducted in closely guarded warehouses or storage facilities.

"Smart operators lawfully registered their establishments and were given license to operate by city officials, who were unaware of their hidden agenda. Unless we resort to innovative measures to ferret out the illicit activities of syndicates, such unlawful ventures will continue undetected," Nacario said.