THE Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) said it has shut down an illegal, unregistered fertilizer manufacturing facility in Nueva Ecija through a joint law enforcement operation.
The facility, located in Barangay Sta. Monica, Rizal municipality, was operating under the name “Don Fertilizer Manufacturing.” The raid was conducted by Rizal and Talavera municipal police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Nueva Ecija, the Regional Special Operations Group 3, the Provincial Intelligence Unit, the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office, and the FPA, following information from an arrested worker of an illegal fertilizer manufacturer that led police to the warehouse.
Authorities confiscated some 500 bags of illegally manufactured fertilizer, 21 granulator machines, and several delivery trucks, with an estimated value of P900,000.
The proprietor, 52-year-old Daniel Delos Santos, failed to present the required permits and licenses; verification also showed the facility was operating without an FPA registration.
The seized items remain under FPA custody pending documentation and disposition, while police prepare criminal charges against Delos Santos for violating Presidential Decree 1144, the law that created the FPA.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. lauded the operation, saying it protects farmers and consumers from counterfeit agricultural inputs. “Illegal fertilizers rob farmers of their hard-earned income by reducing yields, undermine our food security, and pose potential risks to public health and the environment,” he said.
FPA Director Glen Estrada said the agency is intensifying efforts against illegal manufacturers and traders of farm inputs. “We will relentlessly pursue illicit manufacturers and traders of unregistered and illegally manufactured fertilizers and pesticides,” he said. “These illegal products hurt farm productivity and rob our farmers of their limited funds.”
