Ex-DENR exec hits claims hydraulic mining cannot be stopped

CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Feb. 10, 2012—A staunch environmentalist slammed claims that illegal hydraulic mining in the upstream of Iponan River cannot be stopped because of socio-economic considerations.

A visibly angry Raoul Geollegue, former regional executive director of the Environment department in Northern Mindanao (Region X), criticized the assertion during the Joint Municipal and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council which tackled the rampant illegal hydraulic mining in the Misamis Oriental side of the Iponan River.

Geollegue said that local government units should be ashamed for allowing hydraulic mining in the Iponan River to wreak havoc to the environment and lives of Cagayan de Oro City and Opol, Misamis Oriental. Most of the illegal hydraulic mining activities in the river is on the Opol side of Iponan River.

When Geollegue was still a regional technical director of DENR-10, (which he later headed as regional executive director), he issued an alarm that the alarming rampant logging and mining activities in the upper water catchment of Cagayan de Oro will result to an Ormoc-like tragedy. This was in 1991.

Geollegue’s worst fears happened last year, or 20 years after his warning.

The environment and natural resources officer of Misamis Oriental, Conrado “Dodong” Sescon, identified 14 persons operating hydraulic machines used in the illegal mining activities along Iponan River, specifically in barangays Bagocboc, Tingalan, Nangcaon and Cauyunan.

Sescon also identified a certain Dulper Gayla and the “Mendoza family” as involved in the hydraulicking activities in Sitio Inapasan, Barangay Bagocboc, Opol, Misamis Oriental.

Those involved in the hydraulicking activities along the Iponan River are using engines that range from 10 horsepower to 24 hp to pump water uphill to destroy a mountain side believed to contain gold nuggets. Hydraulic mining is a form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. Water is redirected into narrow channels, usually canvas or rubberized plastic hoses and out through a giant iron “monitor” or nozzle. The extremely high pressure stream was used to wash entire hillsides through enormous sluices. The resulting water-sediment slurry is directed through sluices boxes to remove the gold.

For a few grams of gold — which benefits only a few individuals — entire hills and mountains are destroyed and the livelihood of those depending on the river and seas are also affected.

“Mining up there affects thousands of fishermen downstream. With this equation, what kind of political will would we need to stop this? We are talking about [a few] families doing hydraulic mining up there. And for us to allow this to happen for the last 20 years is a shame because the Local Government Code states that we are duty-bound to protect the environment,” stressed Geollegue.

Section 16 (General Welfare) of the Local Government Code of the Philippines states that “every local government unit…shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology…”

With all the laws mandating government to protect the environment for the welfare of the public, it is now high time for the people—whether government officials or ordinary citizens—to obey the law.

“Rule of law should prevail and not of men,” said Orlando Ravanera, director of the Cooperative Development Authority-X (CDA-10) and chairperson of the environment watchdog Task Force Macajalar (TFM).

Ravanera said that TFM has a long history of warning the people and raising the awareness of local government officials about the dangers of mining and the destruction of the environment but nobody listened to us.

One politician even told him that they cannot stop mining and logging activities in the hinterlands of the city because the people supporting these are allegedly “powerful” people in government. The same politician, whom he did not name, suggested that these activities should instead be legalized.

“If we legalize illegal mining and illegal logging, then we should also legalize rape, kidnapping, illegal drug dealing,” Ravanera said, adding that there is a big difference between crimes against person and crime against the environment. “If you commit rape or kidnapping, hold-upping, there are only one or two victims. But if you commit a crime against the environment, the victims are thousands.”

In order to finally stop illegal hydraulic mining activities in Iponan River, a holistic and collaborative approach should be undertaken, said Misamis Oriental Vice Governor Norris Babiera.

Babiera admitted that the problem is very complex, thus the need for a holistic and collaborative effort by the local governments of Opol, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City.

“The problem is very complex that solving it needs collaborative effort between the Municipal and Provincial council. And we are hoping that Cagayan de Oro will join in this effort since most of the persons operating hydraulic mining are from the city,” he said.

Sescon said that all of those doing hydraulicking activities along the Iponan River in the Misamis Oriental side are residents of Cagayan de Oro City. (Bong D. Fabe)

Church group asks help for earthquake victims

ESCALANTE City, Feb. 9, 2012—The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) in Negros-Panay region has launched an appeal for earthquake victims in Negros Oriental.

Fr. Gilbert S. Billena, O.Carm, who coordinates the RMP Negros-Panay Chapter said victims temporarily staying in evacuation center at Upper Sitio Moog in Guihulngan are in dire need of food and other basic things.

“Our effort for relief operation will be targeting to distribute relief goods for at least 500 families in the next few days. We hope for your response to make the relief operation possible,” read his letter of appeal.

Billena gave a list of basic goods that donors can send to the victims including rice, dried fish, cooking oil, legumes, and salt sardines, canned meat loaf /corned beef, tents for temporary shelter, sleeping mats, and clothing.

Hardest hit areas in Negros Oriental were Guihulngan, La Libertad and Tayasan.

Citing initial reports from local chapter of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Billena said a landslide in Guihulngan City has buried 15 houses with 23 persons including children ages 2 to 12 years old in it.

Constant tremors in the site delayed retrieval of bodies buried from the landslides, he added.

The victims are temporarily staying in evacuation area at Upper Sitio Moog, Brgy. Planas in Guihulngan.

In Barangay Buenavista, he said, several houses were also damaged and local residents have moved in an evacuation center in the upland areas.

RMP is coordinating with KMP in the area to facilitate the relief efforts as people are still waiting for relief operations, according to Billena.

Since the RMP Negros-Panay has no organizational bank account at the moment, possible donors can course their donation to Fr. Gilbert S. Billena, O.Carm of Mt. Carmel Parish, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

Cash donation can also be deposited at Banco de Oro. Account Name: St. Francis Convent, Old Poblacion, Account No: 3020009434 (Escalante City Branch) Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Billena is asking donors to notify RMP Negros-Panay through emailrmpwesternvisayas@yahoo.com.ph, the amount of donation and place of origin so they can acknowledge the contribution and render a report to benefactors. (CBCPNews)

Two top NPA leaders in Aurora and Ecija fall

BALER, Aurora, February 8, 2012-In the recent encounter with government forces Monday, two (2) elusive top leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were identified by the authorities recognizing marks of the two matched as Antonio Layco alias Ambo/Berto who came from the remote barangay of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija and Remy Huego alias Russel who also hails from Brgy. Dimanayat, San Luis, Aurora.

The identification also matched the description given by former NPA rebels who have worked with Berto and Russel.

They were recruited by the rebels who were then frequenting in their respective places.  As they go along in the activities of the NPA units they were promoted to higher position.

Photo shot taken when Antonio Layco Alias Ka Berto/Ambo was in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. (Jason de Asis)

Berto is the platoon commanding officer (CO) of the remnant NPA unit from the insurgency free provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Russel is the assistant platoon CO of the remnant NPA unit.

Asked as to how it will affect the NPA, Col Felicito Virgilio Trinidad, Commander of the 702nd Brigade said that this will definitely affect their leadership. A leadership struggle among themselves will again happen as there are factions in the top leadership of the NPA in this region. It will be recalled that as a result of our sustained military operations in the past and which led to the dissolution and/or merger of several NPA units in both Aurora and Nueva Ecija, walang gustong magpa-under sa ibang commander. And more than the position as a motivating factor is the lucrative sum of money derived from the NPA extortion activities.

“Power struggle in the NPA incites disillusionment among its members. Berto was also disillusioned then and wanted to surrender when his top leader then also died in an encounter. His designation as successor and top leader changed his planned surrender. It is so unfortunate that he died in this encounter. He should have surrendered then,” said Trinidad.

Ltc Kurt Decapia, 48th Infantry Battalion Commander in his assessment said that this is definitely a big blow in their organization and leadership. We expect others to surrender and we are prepared to facilitate that in coordination with concerned government agencies.

Asked as to how the Army can justify the presence of NPAs in these insurgency free provinces, “if you will look where these groups are operating, they don’t come near populated centers. They are constantly on the run. The people do not want them anymore. People report their presence and we respond to reports immediately. They can only stay in the mountains, hiding from the people,” Decapia said.

Decapia added that the death of Berto and Russel will expect to other members to surrender soon. We knew some of the members wanted to surrender then but never did. Berto threatened the members of punishment by death if they do so.

Bgen Alan R. Luga, Commander, 7th Infantry Division who is scheduled to formally assume as Commander in a Change-of-Command ceremony today said that they are calling out for the remaining members of Berto to come down and lay down their arms and join back to the mainstream of society so that the next generation will reap the tranquility in their respective places.

“The Government is ready to accept them back,” Luga ended. (Jason de Asis) 

Soldiers killed two rebels in Quirino clash

BALER, Aurora, February 6, 2012-The 48^th Infantry “Guardians” Battalion, Philippine Army killed two rebels today while conducting security operation in Quirino province which resulted to the recovery of several high powered firearms after the clash.

7^th Infantry “Kaugnay” Division spokesman Major Enrico Gil Ileto said in a cellphone interview that soldiers were fired upon by remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) forcing the troops to return fire around 9:18 in the morning today.

Ileto said that the rebels that were hit were remnants from the insurgency free provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora who withdrew to Quirino province.

Responding to a tip from a civilian in the area, the government troops under 48^th IB Commanding Officer Ltc Kurt A Decapia immediately proceeded to the area to verify the presence of armed men at Sitio Sibbagan, Brgy. Landingan, Nagtipunan, Quirino.

Recovered from the encounter site were one M16 rifle with M203 grenade launcher, one M16 rifle, one M14, one M79 grenade launcher and one laptop computer with high intelligence value.

The soldiers in the area are now coordinating with local government units and agencies for the identification of two (2) dead NPA members who were left behind by their comrades.

Colonel Felicito Trinidad, chief of the 702^nd brigade said that the troops discovered an abandoned camp of the same NPA group several days before the encounter today.

“It was abandoned after the NPA saw the presence of troops conducting a medical mission in the area,” Trinidad said, adding that the rebels have been on the run for several days now. “They are the same group which we hit last year and suffered the same losses,” he furthered.

Decapia said that a German non-governmental organization ‘operations blessing’ has been working with them for the past several days bringing medicines, livelihood such as fishnet for fishermen and even brought wheelchairs for the disabled. “Their presence benefited more than 20,000 of our constituents” he furthered.

Decapia added that the tip came from a civilian who knew that the NPA’s where about to disrupt the medical mission.

No casualty was reported on the government side.

As of this writing the military are still in hot pursuit operation against the group of rebels allegedly led by a certain Rommel Tucay Bustamante, alias ka Isaac, a secretary of the Sangay ng Partido sa Platoon North Aurora operating here and in Quirino province.

Two choppers are on standby at Camp Ravina, Brgy. Sabang, Baler, Aurora to get the cadaver of the two rebels; however they were not able to recover the body of the victims due to zero visibility in the area. (Jason de Asis)

Media rights’ group doubts Palace’s version of FOI bill

ANTIPOLO City, Feb. 5, 2012—Media rights’ organization, Burgos Media Center, expressed doubts on the motives of Malacañang in transmitting its own version of the Freedom of Information bill, last February 03.

BMC spokesperson Marc Joseph Alejo said, the Palace’s version of the FOI bill is relatively weak and he doubts what particular sector of the society that the said legislation is “serving.”

The media rights advocate criticized the particular provision of the bill which exempts bilateral agreements between the Republic of the Philippines and other countries to public scrutiny.

“The Filipino people have the right to know about the transactions the government is making with foreign entities. The Palace is again taking the best interest of the Filipino for granted,” Alejo said.

The timeliness of the release and transmission the Malacañang-designed FOI bill is also dubious, said the BMC spokersperson.

“This is a publicity stunt to conceal the fact that the bill is nowhere in Palace’s of House’s list of priority measures,” he said.

The BMC, meanwhile said, that there is no need for another version of the bill since there are 13 versions at the Congress, with Bayan Muna’s version deemed to be the “strongest” and has “more teeth” than the others.

“House Bill 133 by Representatives Teddy Casino and Neri Colmenares still remains the strongest version of the FOI. In fact, other versions are stronger than what the Palace released,” Alejo said. [Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews]

Requiem Mass for ‘Battle of Manila’ victims

MANILA, Feb. 4, 2012— A Requiem Mass will be held for the thousands of Filipino civilians who died during the “Battle of Manila” in the early 1945.

To be led by Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, the service will be held at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros at 10 a.m. on February 13.

Organized by the Prayer for Warriors of the Holy Souls, a lay Catholic group, the event seeks to pay tribute to the victims of the month long confrontation in Manila between Japanese and American forces.

“We want to remember those people who have died and forgotten somehow, so they would know that there are still people who remember them,” said Carlos Oda, the group’s deputy executive director.

Also known as the “Liberation of Manila”, it was fought side-by-side by Filipinos and Americans against the Japanese forces and ended the almost three years of Japanese military occupation in the country.

After the battle an estimated 100,000 Filipinos had died in the city as well, likely one of the highest civilian casualties in urban combat of any World War II battle, second only to Russia’s Stalingrad City. [Ronalyn R. Regino/CBCPNews]

Augustinians hold school groundbreaking, blessing of Friary

MATI City, Feb. 3, 2012—The Order of St. Augustine (OSA), Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu held the groundbreaking of the Colegio San Agustin-Mati (CSA-M) and the blessing of their newly-constructed two-storey San Agustin Friary last January 25.

Mati Bishop Patricio H. Alo and Very Rev. Fr. Eusebio B. Berdon, OSA, Prior Provincial of the Santo Niño de Cebu Province, headed the laying of the school’s corner stone and the blessing of the friars’ new residence.

Mrs. Glenda Rabat Gayta, one of the land donors and a councilor of Mati City, assisted Bishop Alo and Fr. Berdon during the ceremony. A short program followed after the house blessing.

Bishop Alo in his message, highlighted the Cape of San Agustin, a place in Davao Oriental, which was named after the Augustinian community founder. He related it to the significant contributions of the Augustinians who joined the early expeditions as the first missionaries who came to evangelize the Philippines.

Prior Provincial Fr. Berdon, likewise, mentioned that it was providential that the Augustinians chose Mati as the new site of Colegio San Agustin in Mindanao, "following the footsteps of the early missionaries who presumably first came to Davao Oriental—even before Cebu, discovered and named a Cape San Agustin, and dedicated the Cathedral parish to San Nicolas de Tolentino, the first Augustinian saint to be canonized."

Since the celebration coincided with the feast of Saint Paul’s conversion, Fr. Berdon expressed that the new campus was an answer to prayers that aimed at converting Mati, Davao Oriental into a progressively fruitful and peace-loving place, and likewise its people into Godly instruments of global development through holistic, quality education.

For her part, Mrs. Gayta shared remembrances of her deceased father, Don Benito Rabat, as she stood misty-eyed on the place where the new school building will be constructed.

She recounted that “the land donation was my father’s final act of generosity before he passed away, and that, through my father, our family learned that the best way to live one’s life is by sharing the blessings that God gave us.”

She added that her family was deeply honored to become part of the Augustinians’ endeavor in building up a strong community that would positively transform the youth through education.

The activity was attended by the Augustinian provincial council members and friars/ heads of Augustinian colleges, including the renowned University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, priests and lay faithful from various parishes, nuns from different religious congregations, local government officials, Department of Education representatives, and some friends and benefactors of the Augustinians.

It may be recalled that the Augustinian Community in Mati was officially inaugurated on May 26, 2011. At present, the friars assigned in the community are Fray Efren del Rosario Objaan, OSA (House Prior), Fr. Alfonso Dayon Sedurifa, OSA (Sub-Prior), Fr. Ronald Peñaflorida Siaga, OSA (Procurator) and Fray Romeo Tambacan Coronel, OSA (member).

After completing the new two-storey residence building and friary, the construction of the first school building of the Colegio San Agustin – Mati is scheduled to start early this year, as the OSA leadership trusts in the helpful abundance of Divine Providence. (Fr. Ronald P. Siaga, OSA)

Children celebrate Mission year

SAN CARLOS City, Feb. 1, 2011—The Missionary Community in San Carlos City celebrated the feast of Sto. Niño and the Holy Childhood Sunday last January 15 through a children “Sinulog” presentation.

Around 150 missionary children gathered at Balay sa Nazaret and held a procession to the chapel. The children prayed for the whole world represented by the five continents.

The children participants came from the mountains and slum areas comprising Balay sa Nazaret, Birhen sa Barangay, San Vicente, San Lorenzo, Grotto and San Juan.

“After the program, we took our snacks and proceeded to San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral with the Missionary Children to witness the ‘Sinulog’ procession and presentation,” one of the organizers said.

The word ‘Sinulog’ comes from the Cebuano adverb ‘sulog’ which roughly means "like water current movement". It describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums.

“The dance is categorized into Sinulog-based, Free-Interpretation. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language,” said the organizer.

The different groups prepared their own music, costumes, props, and steps.

Aside from the celebration of the year of missions, missionary children are also active in Church activities.

On Sundays, missionary children attend catechesis where they also play, dance and sing.

During the celebration of National Bible Sunday, the children also attended the morning mass of the said event.

“In the afternoon, we went to the mountain to celebrate the National Bible Sunday in these places—Balay sa Nazaret, Birhen sa Barangay, San Vicente, San Lorenzo, Grotto and San Juan,” another organizer said.

It was followed by a procession with flowers, candles, five major colors representing five continents and the Bible.

“The missionary children placed the Bible on the altar, read the gospel, pausing for a moment of silence and shared their own prayers. The celebration was filled with children who were vibrantly singing,” she furthered. (Maria Melanie Limbaga/Jandel Posion)

Bishop blames bad economic policies for rising hunger

MANILA, January 31, 2012— A Catholic bishop has blamed the government’s economic policy as the culprit behind the rising incidence of hunger in the country, the auxiliary bishop of Manila said.

Simply giving people with financial aid is not enough to prevent famine, said Bishop Broderick Pabillo. Instead, he said, the government needs to overhaul the policies that upended the food supply.

That is why the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey which showed the rising number of Filipinos who are experiencing hunger did not came as a surprise for the prelate.

One problem, according to him, is the Aquino administration lack of concrete programs to address the issue.

“There’s no specific program aside from the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) but it’s not the answer. We need a structural policy for sustainable growth,” Pabillo said.

Pabillo also chairs the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Based on the SWS survey conducted from Dec.3 to 7, 2011, while the country’s poverty rate dropped at the end of 2011, the hunger rate went up during the same period.

The poll found that those who claimed to be experiencing hunger climbed from 21.5 percent (about 4.1 families) in September last year to 22.5 percent (about 4.5 million families) in December.

The survey, which used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide, also showed that severe hunger rose in all areas except in Metro Manila, where it fell by 1.3 points to 5 percent.

The hunger rate rose by 9.7 points to 25 percent in the Visayas and by 6.7 points to 19.7 percent in Mindanao.

Bishop Pabillo attributed such problem in the countryside to the government’s inability to implement genuine reforms in agrarian and labor issues.

“One big problem is on land reform which causes hunger,” he said. “Other problems include the contractualization, lack of job generation and low wages for workers.”

The Church official also lamented the Aquino administration’s subservience to the business sector over the people struggling of poverty.

“As of now, business interests win out over the poor under,” Pabillo said. [Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews]

Church seeks review of mining, logging laws

MANILA, January 30, 2012— The Catholic bishops’ leadership called on the Aquino administration to review the government’s policy on mining and logging especially its impact on ecology.

Such move is crucial, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said, in order to prevent a repeat of environment-related tragedies that occurred over the past few weeks.

“We take the occasion to make an appeal particularly to the authorities concerned that our prayer and appeal is to make a serious revisit of many of our laws like our logging laws and practices as well as mining laws and development plans,” said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president.

“The events that happened in the previous months should lead us to be truly serious about our mining and logging laws and the like,” he added.

While the prelate acknowledged that certain natural disasters do happened, he said recent tragedies such as flooding and landslides were caused by negligence of humans.

“With many lamentable calamities, certainly there is the dimension of natural perspective... (but) very simple analysis show that there are human factors, which can be corrected with regards to mining, logging laws, especially with the implementation,” said Palma.

Last December, typhoon “Sendong” wrought havoc over Mindanao with its heavy rainfall resulting to massive flash floods and the death of 1,257 people and 85 others missing.

Earlier this month, some 25 people were also killed during a landslide that occurred in a mining site in Compostela Valley.

The CBCP had long been appealing on the government to repeal the Mining Act as well as for an end to illegal logging in the country. [CBCPNews]

Sto. Niño de Cebu bids farewell to Antipolo devotees

ANTIPOLO City, January 29, 2012—The pilgrim image of Sto. Niño de Cebu went off to his next destination in Batangas after staying with the Antipolo faithful for eight days, from January 22.

A farewell Mass was celebrated in the honor of the Child Jesus, whose miraculous image has been the key in Christianizing the Visayans during the Spanish colonization.

Mrs. Virginia Torregoza, 63, and a widow for six years, who had seen the Sto. Niño said that she was blessed by the mere image of the Child Jesus from Cebu.

“Masaya ako dahil nakita ko Siya,” she said in a short interview.

Sto. Niño de Cebu is one of the oldest images in the Philippines, aged 400 years old. It was a gift to Rajah (King) Humabon, later baptized Carlos then the chieftain of Cebu and to his wife, Hara Amihan, who was later renamed Juana, after her conversion to Christianity. The image was given by Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan on April 5, 1521 as a token for the birth of Christianity in Central Philippines. [Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews]

Bacolod youth plant mangrove seedlings to protect environment

BACOLOD City, January 28, 2012—The Commission on Youth of Bacolod diocese spearheaded a mangrove planting activity in Barangay Balaring, Silay City last January 21.

Led by DCY director Fr. Arnold Deletina, the youth planted around 600 mangrove seedlings.

Participants were composed of 10 DCY staff, 27 youth from Silay City`s San Diego Parish, 15 parishes, 3 youth groups and 7 schools.

Fr. Deletina told participants during the blessing rite that being good stewards of God's creation, means being “active in protecting the environment through cleaning our own surroundings and planting trees to help replenish our fading forest.”

After planting, participants proceeded to San Diego Parish for the 21st Diocesan Conference of Youth Leaders (DCYL).

Resource speaker Anarosa Carmona, an active environmentalist herself, shared about the positive effects of mangrove planting and its importance.

She also explained the vanishing mangrove forest and the urgency to replenish it through crossing the thinning green line between the sea and the land.

The conference was also graced by Malou Eudela, an active staff of DCY, who gave a touching testimony of her work as a volunteer in Iligan City helping the victims of Typhoon Sendong.

The day ended with words of encouragement from Fr. Deletina and his final blessing to all attendees of the conference.

He also expressed his gratitude to Fr. Abenir Pineda, San Diego Parish priest and the young people of the parish for their hospitality.

The whole conference was facilitated by the DCY staff with Fr. Deletina. (Freddy Junsay)

Youth solon nixes compulsory ROTC training

ANTIPOLO City, January 26, 2012—The Kabataan partylist attempted to block the revival of the compulsory Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) among college students, saying that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which is allegedly known for its bloody human rights records, should not “meddle” with the academic affairs of the young Juan and Maria de la Cruz.

“The ROTC has taught its cadets how to become blind and docile servants. With its grim and bloody human rights record, the AFP has no right to meddle with the academic affairs of our youth. A war-mongering and mercenary institution must not be allowed to infiltrate schools and teach students,” the lawmaker said.

Instead of a compulsory military training, Palatino filed House Bill No. 2355 or the expansion of the community-service component of the current National Service Training Program (NSTP), being implemented under NSTP Act of 2001.

The young partylist lawmaker said his bill aims to “inculcate the value of nationalism, social consciousness and responsibility in the youth, and for the youth to assist the government agencies in the delivery of basic social services to the people”, adding that the nation needs an army of volunteers and advocates to fight the threats of illiteracy, of political and social apathy, and the perpetuation of social inequities that continue to obstruct genuine national progress.”

Palatino also said that ROTC units in both public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) have been used for years as an instrument to tag organizations, deemed to be critical of the government, as “communist fronts.”

In 2001, the compulsory ROTC training had been eliminated and replaced by community service instead due to the case of Mark Welson Chua, a student from the Pontifical and Royal Catholic University of Sto. Tomas in Manila, who died in hazing. However, it was eventually found out his death was not the result of mere hazing, but murder.

Chua had spilled the beans about the corruption happening inside the UST-ROTC unit and had it published to one of the oldest student publications in the country, The Varsitarian.

The exposé resulted to the relief of the ROTC commandant, Major Demmy Tejares and some of his staff.

After the relief of the said ROTC commanding officers, Chua was advised by the new commandant to undergo security training at the Philippine Army camp, Fort Bonifacio in Makati City, where the murder allegedly happened. Prior the death of Chua, the young man has been receiving death threats. Chua disappeared on March 15, 2001.

Three days after his disappearance, his body was found floating in the murky Pasig River, wrapped in a carpet, with his face covered with cloth and sealed by a packaging tape, and his feet and hands tied up. According to reports, when the body was autopsied, the authorities said Chua was still alive when thrown to the river.

One of the four suspects, Arnulfo Appari, was sentenced to death by lethal injection on March 31, 2004 but the other three—Eduardo Tabrilla, Paul Joseph Tan, and Michael Von Rainard Manangbao are still at-large or also suspected to be missing. [Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews]

Church, envi groups up in arms again vs mining in Mindoro

MANILA, January 25, 2012— Church and environmental groups are up in arms again over a foreign mining company’s relentless call for nickel mining project in Mindoro.

The list of grievances these groups is holding against the Intex Resources seems to be growing after it announced last Jan.18 in Oslo Stock Exchange that they had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the MCC8 Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese state-owned construction firm to impel the operation of the Mindoro Nickel Project (MNP).

Andy Whitmore of the Philippines Indigenous People Links (PipLinks) is questioning the incessant campaigns of Intex for the MNP as both national and international investigations have raised serious concerns about the project.

“They shouldn’t be putting our releases seeking to boost investment in the project until they were able to provide answers in the investigation conducted by the Norwegian Contact Point,” Whitmore said.

Whitmore was referring to the investigation of the Norwegian National Contact Point disclosing that Intex violated certain provisions of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; from the questionable acquisition of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC) to the unconventional Environment Impact Assessment that they failed to present to the local authorities.

Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) said “both the OECD and the local investigation team have produced conclusive evidences that the Mindoro Nickel Project is unacceptable to the host communities. It is the height of corporate irresponsibility that Intex is rushing the sale of the project, and washing its hands of accountability.”

“The consortium that speaks of green mining concept is still far from reality thus will not impede in our call for Intex to pull out the project and just respect the local ordinance filed in 2002 prohibiting the entry of all large-scale mining in Oriental Mindoro,” he added.

Community rejection

For his part, Jon Sarmiento of Alyansa Laban sa Mina (Alamin) said: “This investment is on high risk!”

“The MNP does not have social acceptability; they are just wasting their time and resources campaigning for the project. Mindoreño will remain vigilant over this matter. We will protect our remaining forest and will not allow anyone, even big companies to extract the minerals underneath… the forest on itself is our wealth,” he said.

Alamin is a network of civil society organizations, Church and local government units in Oriental Mindoro established in 1999 to consolidate people’s opposition to the Mindoro Nickel Project.

In 2009, the Environmental Compliance Certificate for Intex had been revoked after local protest and a hunger strike was done against the project.

Commissioner Dionisia Banua of the National Commission on the Indigenous Peoples ensured that despite the current partnership NCIP will ensure that the FPIC will be served and implemented with integrity.

Bigger call

Fr. Edu Gariguez of the CBCP Nassa reaffirmed its stand that the government mining policy is like selling our lands to foreign investors with liberal conditions while our people continue to grow in poverty.

“We stated that the adverse social impact on the affected communities far outweigh the gains promised by the trans-national corporations,” Gariguez explained.

He concluded, “We have a bigger call to this government, refrain from promoting the minerals industry, and promote the rights of the Filipino people, repeal the mining act of 1995, and pass the Alternative Minerals Management Bill that secures all these rights and prioritizes environmental protection and food security over mineral resources.”

The groups expressed their ire as they launched recently the book, the Mindoro Struggle: Protecting Island Ecology, Defending People’s Rights, a compilation of several studies on the Mindoro critical ecosystems, including mining threat to food security and the Final Statement of the Norwegian NCP on the violated OECD Guidelines. [CBCPNews]

Central Luzon Army Chief Calls on Palparan to Surrender

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, January 24, 2012-A top military official here in Central Luzon called its former commandant, retired Major General Jovito Palparan, to turn himself in and face charges in court.

“It would be better for fugitive Palparan to take the opportunity of proving that he is not guilty of the accusations against him,” MGen Jose Mabanta Jr. said in his statement as the chief of the 7th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The division likewise denied protecting the fugitive retired officer who served as its commandant from Sept. 1, 2005 to Sept. 11, 2006.

"The AFP is a professional organization composed of disciplined and law abiding soldiers. It is not the policy of the AFP to provide safe harbor but to surrender any person wanted by law particularly man in uniform," as per statement of Mabanta.

The division assured that its soldiers will inform authorities "if they spot General Palparan in their duty assignments."

General Palparan, along with three other officers, was allegedly involved in the disappearance of students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan of the University of the Philippines.

Also included in the case were Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio and Army Col. Felipe Anotado.

Osorio and Anotado are now under government custody which was facilitated by AFP while Hilario is still nowhere to be found like General Palparan.

The statement also stated that Palparan is already a retired military general. The AFP has no hold on him being a civilian.

It also furthered that the AFP has already facilitated the turnover of the two (2) active personnel identified as LTC Atonado and Ssg Osorio to the authorities for proper disposition.

“We fully trust the justice system and believe in the due process of law. The AFP believes that retired Mgen Palparan should turn himself in and answer all allegations hurdled against him to face the case and take the opportunity of providing that he is not guilty and that he is innocent,” the statement furthered.

“Our unit commanders have disseminated the lookout bulletin handed down by Army headquarters and our soldiers will inform proper authorities if they will spot Palparan in their duty assignment,” the statement ended.

Prior to this, the 7^th ID quickly dispelled reports of Palparan’s presence here in a beach resort where the messages spread like wild fire.

702^nd Brigade Commander Col Virgilio Trinidad said that it was a hoax and disinformation campaign intended to put the Army and police in bad light.

The police and the army troopers conducted surveillance and search operations in all beach resorts in the province of Aurora looking for Palparans’ possible presence which resulted that the information was erroneous report. (Jason de Asis)