Coucilor proposes junk shop ordinance to stop trading of stolen items

CEBU City Councilor Michael Ralota, chairman of the Association of Barangay Councils, proposed an ordinance to regulate the operation of junk shops and junkyards in the city.

Ralota said he crafted the proposed ordinance to curb the stealing of items for later sale in junkyards or shops.

The proposed ordinance will cover all registered junk shops and junkyards and itinerant buyers and dealers of junk materials in Cebu City.

Anybody who is caught to be involved in the fencing of stolen will be penalized with (a) a fine of P1,000 for the first offense; (b) P3,000 fine, closure of the junkyard or junk shop and/or imprisonment of six months for the second offense; and (c) P5,000 fine, closure of the junk shop or junkyard, imprisonment of one year, at the discretion of the court and a confiscation of all junk materials for the third offense.

Junk shops and junkyards are required first to have a mayor’s permit and a clearance from the barangay where these will operate.

“Every junk shop owner or operator shall maintain two kinds of Transaction Books or Registers, one to record acquisitions or purchases and another to record disposals or sales of junk materials herein being monitored and regulated,” the ordinance reads.

The registers can be inspected by law enforcers during business hours.

After the date of the last transaction is recorded, the book shall be preserved for at least a year and presented for approval by the Cebu City Police Office.

Any legal junk shop or junkyard owner shall be protected from any form of abuse or coercion by law enforcers.

The draft ordinance was referred to the committee on laws for review.