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14-YEAR PIGGERY DISPUTE SETTLED IN QUIRINO AFTER BITAG EXPOSE
By Luzon Morning Sun
July 4, 2026
𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀, 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐎 (𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔) — A 14-year battle over a controversial piggery in Barangay Villa Hermoza Sur, Maddela town in Quirino finally reached a turning point after provincial officials shut down Golda Farm following a public hearing sparked by a BITAG investigation and complaints from long-suffering residents.
At the June 26 hearing, Quirino Vice Gov. Julius Caesar “Jojo” Vaquilar blasted the Maddela municipal government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region 2 for allowing the dispute to drag on for years, asking why authorities acted only after the case was aired by BITAG.
Residents said they had endured years of foul odor, improper waste disposal and health risks from the piggery, which has been operating since 2012.
Minutes before the hearing, the DENR-EMB Region 2 served a suspension order against Golda Farm over environmental violations.
Vaquilar questioned the timing of the move, saying it came only after public pressure intensified, while EMB officials maintained the suspension was based on documented violations.
The case drew attention after broadcaster and anti-crime advocate Ben Tulfo and the IBMI-NGO took up the residents’ complaints. Tulfo warned that if government agencies failed to resolve the dispute, the matter could be elevated to the Office of the Solicitor General.
A joint inspection later found strong foul odor and deficiencies in the farm’s waste management system.
Golda Farm owner Marivic Tejada insisted she was complying with the law but later agreed to secure the required permits, relocate the piggery and improve its operations during the suspension.
Tulfo reminded all parties that businesses must comply with environmental and local regulations, stressing that “no one is above the law.”
photo courtesy of BITAG