For residents and barangay officials of Linobayan, Tigbauan, the dispute surrounding GT Poultry Farm is no longer simply a question of whether the farm should operate; it has become a legal and financial burden that some say they can no longer afford.

Several residents facing cases in connection with their complaints against the poultry farm are now looking to Iloilo First District Representative Janet Garin’s public intervention as a possible opening for dialogue and a resolution to the long-running controversy.

Linobayan Punong Barangay Rene Taño said they welcomed Garin’s condemnation of the cases filed against some barangay officials and residents, saying it gave them hope that their concerns would receive greater attention.

In an interview with radio station RMN Iloilo, Taño said some of those charged, particularly elderly residents, have been emotionally affected by the legal proceedings.

Some have struggled to sleep, while others have had to pool money simply to attend court hearings, he said.

Of the residents facing cases, 20 have sought assistance from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), while only one has been able to hire a private lawyer.

Taño said the residents are also prepared to pursue counter-charges against the poultry farm owner if they can secure free legal assistance.

But beyond the cases, the village chief said, is the uncertainty over the future of the barangay officials who have been caught in the dispute. He maintained that some of them remain determined to resign from their posts.

A consultative meeting led by Tigbauan Mayor Virgilio Teruel was held recently to address the controversy, but it ended without a definitive resolution, according to Taño.

Garin pushes dialogue

Garin has now called for a different approach to the dispute: dialogue between the poultry farm and the affected community.

In a Facebook Live statement, Garin said she was saddened by the decision of some barangay officials to resign and questioned whether filing cases against residents was the best way to address their complaints.

She said farm owner Dr. Maricor Borra could have instead opened discussions with the residents and barangay officials to find solutions to their concerns.

Garin cited the previous owner of the poultry farm, whom she said maintained open communication with the community, as an example of how disputes could be addressed without escalating into confrontation.

But Garin’s intervention also raises a broader question: Can the farm’s operations and the residents’ concerns be reconciled through compliance, dialogue and community safeguards rather than prolonged litigation?

Farm compliance under scrutiny

Garin said information she obtained from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) showed that the poultry farm still had requirements to comply with following an inspection, including a permit to discharge and a permit to operate.

The lawmaker also disclosed that Teruel issued a suspension order against the farm on June 19, 2026.

The suspension was later lifted after the farm sought permission to complete one growing cycle, citing the purchase of chicks and the need for what was described as humanitarian consideration.

Garin has since appealed to the Tigbauan local government unit not to allow further operations until the outstanding requirements are complied with.

At the same time, she appealed to the farm owner, whom she identified as a physician, to extend the same humanitarian consideration to the residents who have been affected by the controversy.

What happens next?

For the residents, the issue now goes beyond the operation of a poultry farm. It involves their livelihood, their responsibilities as barangay officials, their access to legal representation and their ability to participate in decisions affecting their community.

Taño said they remain willing to improve communication and pursue available remedies, but they also want an opportunity to demonstrate that their complaints deserve to be heard.

Garin, for her part, said she remains open to investments in the district but with a condition: development should not come at the expense of residents.

The challenge now falls on the concerned parties and government agencies to determine whether the remaining compliance issues can be resolved, whether the residents’ complaints have merit, and whether both sides can reach a settlement that protects community welfare while respecting lawful business operations.

Until then, the cases filed against the residents and the questions surrounding the farm’s operations remain unresolved.IMT