Mindanao - Northern Mindanao || X
PPOC seeks recall of miners’ permits
Thursday, 17 May 2012 00:00
MISAMIS Oriental's peace and order is preparing to file a petition before the Office of the President for the recall of exploration permits given by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to at least seven large-scale mining firms. Officials said the firms have been using the permits to start operations in western areas of Misamis Oriental. Vice Gov. Norris Babiera, vice chairperson of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) told The Gold Star Daily that the Council would formally ask President Aquino to recall or void the exploration permits following revelations that the firms were already exploring in the outlying villages of Alubijid despite opposition from townsfolk.
Babiera said the permits only allow the firms to explore and determine mineral deposits in the outlying areas and not engage in actual mining. He said the firms are not supposed to bring in heavy equipment, excavate and engage in hauling in these areas. Babiera identified the firms with exploration permits as Cessmag Development Inc. (5,582 hectares), Mindanao Astoria Mining Corp. (6,638.581 hectares), Pilipinas Mining Resources Inc. (468.22 hectares), Sunrise Pacific Rim Minerals Resources Inc. (2,106 hectares), Bountiful Geomines Inc. (1,945.7379 hectares), APC Mining Corp. (2,367.6275 hectares) and Linktone Peak Resources Inc. (13,954.37 hectares). He said the Council brought its concern to the MGB.
If the MGB doesn't act on it, Babiera said the matter would be brought to the attention of the President. Babiera also said the town government of Alubijid and nongovernment organizations have earlier registered their opposition to the operations of the mining firms. He said at least one of the firms applied for a exploration permit that would cover Alubijid town's watershed areas. He said no exploration permit should have been issued without the consent of the local government and people in the affected barangays.
C o n s u l t a t i o n s , environmental impact assessment study and the approval of the local government are requirements, said Babiera. He said there was no environmental impact study. "They have to comply with the requirements," Babiera said. He said there were also reports that representatives of mining firms went to the town and took photos of villagers apparently to make it appear that there were consultations. He said officials feared that mining would endanger the water source of the village called Tula. The revelation was made during the meeting of the PPOC last week. The Council members were surprised to find out the exploration permits of the mining firms were approved despite the ongoing campaign against destructive mining operations in the province. The information came from Alubijid municipal development officer Jose Camenci. Babiera said, there are reports of "camote mining" or small-scale excavations by people in Alubijid. "There are no big operations yet," said Babiera, quoting local environment and natural resources officials.
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Consumers’ group leader: Nothing really wrong with Agus, Pulangi
Thursday, 17 May 2012 00:00
ILIGAN City--A power consumers' group here said there is no justification for moves to sell the Agus and Pulangi complexes because the facilities have been found to be income-earners. "There's really no real problem with the Agus and Pulangi," said Engr. Bert Oller of the Lanao Power Consumers' Federation (Lapocof). Oller said the Agus and Pulangi systems, major sources of hyrdroelectric power in Mindanao, have been generating at least P10 billion a year in the last 10 years based on the group's study. "The government has led us to believe that these are losing, hence these must be sold," he said. Oller and Lapocof chairperson Engr. Nestor Degoma inspected the facilities. They claimed they found "nothing seriously wrong with the turbines and other equipment."
Oller accused officials for making it appear that some P2.6 billion was needed to repair and rehabilitate the Agus and Pulangi systems, and that the work would take much time. "The truth is that it had taken the government only 20 days to do it (repair and rehabilitation) and it ony cost P7.1 million," he said. The work resulted in an additional 200 megawatts for Mindanao.
The Philippine Information Agency quoted the Department of Energy as saying that the Mindanao power situation has improved with the restoration of Pulangi IV, adding 200 mw to the Mindanao Grid. The energy department also said additional power supply is still needed because Minda-nao's power supply remains at a critical level. Oller brushed aside the energy department's claims. He said, "The truth about the Mindanao situation is out. Slowly, we are seeing that there is really a conspiracy." WITH REPORTS FROM ALVIN SORINO
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Activists gather in Oro to honor Gapuz today
Thursday, 17 May 2012 00:00
"Poverty is a question of law. It is our challenge as public interest lawyers to save what remains of the law for the benefit of our people's human rights as we envision a social order where equality is lived and does not merely exist as a concept in legalese." -- Frederico Gapuz Sept. 30, 1934-May 12, 2012
HUMAN rights defenders, civil libertarians, church leaders and political activists from all over the country are set to gather here today to pay their last respects to local legal luminary Frederico Gapuz. Lawyer Mario Paul Labis, secretary general of this city's chapter of the Union of People's Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM), said their chapters from key regions in Mindanao will send their representatives to attend the tribute.
The necrological service cum tribute would start at 5:30 pm at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente's (IFI) Pro- Cathedral of the Virgin Mary in Barangay Bulua, this city. The funeral will be on the following day (May 18) to take off at 6 am from the city to Alubijid town, Misamis Oriental, where a mass would be held at a Roman Catholic church followed by the interment at the Alubijid cemetery. Lawyers Beverly Musni of Karapatan-Northern Mindanao, UPLM secretary general Carlos Isagani Zarate, Eduardo Estores of UPLMSouthern Mindanao, Jose Begil of UPLM-Caraga, National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia and ex-congressman Satur Ocampo will be coming to the city to pay their last respects to Gapuz, said Labis.
He said progressive sectoral groups Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Anakbayan, would also be sending representatives. Members of the Buffalo-Tamaraw-Limus (BTL) from Bukidnon would also send a delegation. Gapuz used to be their lawyer in their legal struggle for Land against the state-owned Central Mindanao University in Don Carlos, Bukidnon. Detained political prisoners from different parts of the isLand would also bid farewell to Gapuz through video clips, which will be shown during the tribute.
In the course of his legal career, Gapuz had represented political prisoners, including National Democratic Front peace consultant Wilfredo "Ka Paris" Mapano, who is currently detained at the Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail. The late lawyer was the founder of people's lawyers groups and also served as president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club in the early '90s. Gapuz, 77, passed away in the afternoon of May 12 at his residence in Alubijid, Misamis Oriental. He is survived by his wife Liberty and children Emmanuel, Michael, Andrew, Maria Catherine and Fernando Frederico.
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Abaday to Rosales: Act vs crime surge
Wednesday, 16 May 2012 00:00
COUNCILOR Roger Abaday yesterday called on city police director Senior Supt. Gerardo Rosales to start an "aggressive campaign" against criminals in the city. Abaday said this as he sounded alarm bells over what he called as the criminals' bold defiance of laws even near police stations. He cited examples: thieves ransacked the car of Councilor Simeon Licayan's son-in-law in Kauswagan, and robbery and rape were committed in front of a police outpost. He also said there were reports on shootings near the police in Divisoria, the capitol grounds and in Barangay Carmen. Abaday said, "The police failed to do anything as if their outpost has become one of the props. Whatever happened to the 'serve and protect' motto?"
At the city council, Abaday urged Rosales to make the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) aggressive and forceful in dealing with criminals in the city. He also asked city hall to properly use its intelligence funds by beefing up the local police's operational expenses. He complained that thefts, small-time robberies and other petty crimes were giving the city a bad name. Abaday, a criminologist, also warned about a new crime group specializing in car burglary. The group, he said, has victimized car owners in Kauswagan and nearby villages in the past weeks. Until now, the police have yet to identify a suspect, he said. Abaday said this as he brushed aside Senior Supt. Rosales's claim that no organized crime group is operating in the city. He said in Kauswagan alone, the crime group burglarized at least six Cars in less than a day. One of the victims, he said, is Engr. Ruby Mabulay, Councilor Licayan's son-in-law.
He said a principal of a School in Camaman-an was also victimized. Abaday said the same group is believed to be responsible for similar cases in subdivisions in and near Kauswagan. "The local police is lacking in the criminal processes of investigation. The public has observed that local police is having difficulties in fighting crime," he said. Abaday said he feared that Cagayanons would lose their confidence on the Cocpo because of the unsolved criminal cases. "Our local police has always taken the reactive position. They only react if something bad happens. We also have plenty of unmanned police outposts," he said.
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Moreno’s transfer boosts opposition, says Cabanlas
Wednesday, 16 May 2012 00:00
MISAMIS Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno's move to transfer his official residence from the province to Cagayan de Oro have given the city's opposition group a morale boost, Councilor Edgar Cabanlas told The Gold Star Daily. Cabanlas said this would mean that the oppsition would likely field a complete set of candidates against the ruling Padayon Pilipino group of Mayor Vicente Emano in next year's elections. "Ang katawa karon sa administrasyon nawala kay misulod naman gyud si Gov. Moreno," he said. Cabanlas also said Moreno's group would also likely be suppor ted by President Aquino because the governor is the highest ranking public official here who is with the administration Liberal Party. Cabanlas said the consensus among local opposition leaders is that Moreno would be their standard bearer and that excongressman and now Carmen barangay chairperson RoLando Uy would be fielded against Rep. Jose Benjamin Benaldo in the 1st District. He said the local opposition would also likely "adopt" Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd District.
Cabanlas also revealed that the process of selecting opposition candidates for various positions has started. "Maka-porma kita og complete line-up in a matter of three months sa dili moabot ang filing of certificates of candidacy," he said. Cabanlas said the opposition would also likely field candidates who represent various sectors. "Mahibaw-an kini nato karong pipila ka adlaw kung kinsa kini sila. Daghan kaayo ang interesado nga mo-uban sa oposisyon. Dili karon lisod ang pagpangita sa maayo nga kandidato," Cabanlas said.
He said he is very optimistic because the Padayon Pilipino, in his opinion, has shown no signs of recovering from its leader's near loss in the 2010 elections. Cabanlas said the Emano administration's popularity rating further plunged over the way it handled the Typhoon Sendong crisis. "More people are angry at him. And history will be the judge later on--I say nga mas sayon pildihon si Dongkoy karon kay sa 2010. Ang atong mga kandidato lig-on kaayo. And we have become more solid this time," Cabanlas said.
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