MNLF calls followers, allies to boycott polls

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For “no credible” Muslim representation:

Brilliant lawyer. National political leader
Dr. Firdausi Abbas, who is a Sultan of Lanao
del Sur is acknowledged not only among
the Bangsa Moro but nationally, according
to MNLF deputy chairman and Mindanao
State University professor Punduma Sani.

CAGAYAN de Oro City (BEN BALCE/Golden Journal) - Top Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) official early last week has called on its allies and supporters to boycott the May 2016 election, saying that the Bangsamoro was being used as a “prop” for political propaganda.

“The present political exercise is another classic example of how the Bangsa Moro is used as props for political propaganda,” said Mindanao State University professor Punduma Sani.

Sani who holds three star ranks in the Bangsa Moro Army is the incumbent Vice Chairman of the MNLF under Nur Misuari.

In a statement, Sani even said the controlling political elite would never allow representatives of the Moro people to have real participation in the governmental policy formulation process especially in the legislative machinery.

“We have seen that the Muslim candidates for senator that has been declared by both Liberal and UNA do not and cannot in any way represent the Bangsa Moro,” said Sani.

He said that also both Jejomar Binay and Mar Roxas declare that these Muslim candidates represent the Bangsa Moro and it is their policy to give representation to the Moro people.

“We see this as political propaganda – a shallow and insincere gesture because these candidates do not have the capacity, ability or stature to win,” said Sani adding that Roxas and Binay know the inclusion of these ladies is simply “pakitang-tao.”

“Muslims traditionally and Koranically are enjoined not to support women as leaders,” said Sani.
These presidential candidates will never get Muslims who will continue the political advocacy which began in the late sixties that ripened into the Bangsamoro revolutionary struggle like Dr. Firdausi I. Y. Abbas, according to Sani.

“Muslims such as Dr. Firdausi Abbas who is a traditional leader as Sultan of Lanao, an acknowledged brilliant lawyer and national political leader,” he said.

Abbas together with Homobono Adaza formed the Mindanao Alliance in 1978 as Secretary General and fought the Marcos puppets.

In 1986, Sani also said the Lakas ng Demokrasya was formed with Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw as chairperson and Dr. Abbas as Secretary General.

“He (Abbas) is recognized in many international fora, particularly by the organization of Islamic Cooperation, whose very impressive performance in the Tripartite Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia among the MNLF, the Philippine Government and the OIC in 2007,” Sani stressed.

Sani also added led the OIC to adopt the Jeddah formula so that Dr. Abbas will be a permanent MNLF delegate to the Tripartite Conferences.

Abbas he said was the president of the Muslim Bar Association of the Philippines (Musbarap) and chairman of the Bangsa Moro Party.

“His leadership is acknowledged not only among the Bangsa Moro but nationally and can debate with anyone on the Senate floor,” said Sani adding that Abbas was the captain of the undefeated U.P. debating team in the late sixties.

“Above all, Dr. Abbas never compromises the rights of the Bangsa Moro but he also recognizes the limits.

He may be the only one who can propose the correct solution to the problem in the South,” Sani stated.

Sani said that Abbas with his proposal of the Bangsa Moro Constitutional Convention to enact the organic act, in lieu of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

“He can definitely defend it on the Senate floor,” said Sani.

Except Abbas, Sani also mentioned two others Muslim representatives, Dedagen Delanggalen and Michael Mastura as good lawyers and have earned the respect of their colleagues in the House of Representatives.

“Of course, Atty. Adel Tamano, the former spokesman of UNA, a good lawyer and an activist,” he said. (BEN BALCE)

Lumads faulted 4ID of butchery of 5 farmers

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 Oro celebrates Higala-ay Festival. ThePhilippines 

first amphibious tour vehicle joins the Golden Float parade in 

celebrating the feast of Saint Augustine, known as the 

“Higalaay”  Festival  on August 28, Friday. The celebration 

also highlighted the Miss Cagayan Tourism beauty pageant, 

“Sakay-Sakay” sa Lambago fluvial parade and street 

dancing in native costumes. (BBalce)

CAGAYAN DE ORO (Golden Journal/Ben Balce) - THE family of the five persons killed in Bukidnon called for an independent probe of the alleged encounter between the military and New People's Army (NPA) rebels Wednesday last week.

In a press conference held at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) Monday, Eryo Inahan, Chairman of the Manobo Farmers Association in Pangantucan, Bukidnon, said that the victims, who died in a reported military encounter in Pangantucan, Bukidnon last Wednesday, were innocent civilians.

“We want the military to clear the names of the victims because they (victims) were not rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) as alleged by the military,” Inahan told the local press.

Inahan said that the oldest among the victims was a blind 72-year-old man and the youngest was a 14-year-old minor, all members of the Manobo clan, an indigenous tribe in Bukidnon.

He identified the victims as Mateo Samia, 72, brothers Wilmer and Elmer Simena, Ibe Samia and the 14-year-old minor as Kadong Samia.

Inahan said that Lontoy Samia, 15, the elder brother of Kadong Samia, managed to escape to tell the alleged massacre story.

Lontoy alleged that the military shot them one-by-one after they went down from their house on orders of the military, Inahan said.

“Nakikiramay kami sa mga namatayan,” said Army’s 403rd spokesman Capt. Norman Tagros.

Tagros said the encounters were legitimate.

“Nasa area ng encounter ang mga bikitima at kung hindi man sila mga meyembro sa NPA dapat wala sila doon,” said Tagros.

Tagros said that they encountered a group of armed rebels in the village of Mandog Mendez, 9-kilometers from the town of Pangantucan last Wednesday.

Tagros even said that the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) in the municipal police station in Pangantucan conducted an investigation of the incident and submitted an official report about the death of the victims.

Based on the SOCO report, the military recovered 19 backpacks, an AK-47 rifle, and the bodies of the five persons in the encounter site, according to Tagros.

“While the military laments the unfortunate incident, the family of the victims has the right to call for an investigation – it is their right,” Tagros said in response to the accusation of the Manobo tribesmen association.

US, Sulu gov’t partnership committed towards progress and development

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TAN MEETS THOMAS Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan and United States Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., during Thomas' arrival at the Sulu Capitol site Tuesday.

Capitol Site, Patikul, Sulu-  Strengthening Cooperation and Partnership towards progress and development in Sulu was the main agenda between Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan and United States Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., when they met here Tuesday morning.

Thomas said  he came to Sulu to have an idea of the immediate priorities of the Provincial Government and assistance necessary to help improve the Socio-Economic landscape of the Province. 

Thomas who is visiting Sulu for the first time was accompanied by Mike Pigratello, USAID Director Gloria Steele,  Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) Commander Captain Robert Gusentine, Wesmincom chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer.

The Sulu governor thanked the Ambassador for the various projects given by the US Government to the people of Sulu.

Tan mentioned the rehabilitation of the Jolo Airport Runway and Jolo Mainland Water Improvement Projects which benefit residents in the town of Jolo and other parts of the Mainland.

“Livelihood projects for our people, infrastructure support and power are key areas that need much assistance. Substantial improvement in these areas would definitely create opportunities for the province to move forward,” Tan said.

The Governor emphasized that the provincial government is doing its best to address these areas.

“In fact we are now constructing a fishport in maimbung with assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to serve as a facilities support for fishing vessels who are plying their trade in Sulu sea, to stimulate investment in the area so that our people would have a share in the resources of our territorial waters,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Ferrer informed Thomas that Sulu will be the site where Regional Command B of the ARMM Police will be situated.

“Sulu will definitely be the center of Police Activities in the BASULTA Region. This will help improve peace and order in the region” he said.

Gov. Tan for his part said that Sulu has a good police organization and further training would greatly enhance their capacity in the campaign against criminal elements and their activities.

Concerning future programs and projects, Gov. Tan requested Ambassador Thomas and USAID Director Gloria Steele to utilize the Sulu Area Coordination Center (SACC) so that proper monitoring and coordination of projects can be implemented.  Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) is a member of the Sulu Area Coordination Center (SACC).

Thomas expressed his appreciation to Gov. Tan and to the people of Sulu for the Warm welcome he received. He reiterated the U.S. Government’s commitment to assists the People of Sulu to achieve better lives.

The US Ambassador’s Visit came a few weeks after a donor’s forum was sponsored by the USAID in Sulu to assists projects identified by multi-stakeholders and communities.

U.S. Government Assistance thru USAID, JSOTFP implemented support programs in areas of Health, Security, Infrastructure, Education and Capacity Building programs to enhance livelihood in the province. (Sulu-PIO)
____

Sonny Y. Abing III OIC, Prov'l Information Officer
Province of Sulu
Cel. 09192840838 smart
      09177234745 globe

NDFP-Mindanao feel sorry for with the broad masses of Japan and our Filipino compatriots in the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe

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The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the entire revolutionary forces in Mindanao sympathize with the broad masses of Japan as well as with Filipino compatriots there who are suffering because of the devastation, including the direct threat of nuclear exposure, brought on by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

We are confident that the Japanese masses could muster heroic strength to rebuild and surge forward. As in the past, if the Japanese masses were able to rise from the destruction wreaked by two US imperialistatomic bombs, inhumanly dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II, so shall they in the face of this recent unspeakable tragedy.  We salute the heroism of the Japanese masses, particularly the indomitable courage shown by the Nameless 50 in Fukushima!

The Filipino and the entire peoples of the world must resolutely unite to aid the Japanese masses in their hour of great need as well as in the process of rebuilding, bearing in mind that natural and man-made calamities of such proportions that recently hit Japan could happen to any country across the globe.

There are serious lessons to be learned from a tragedy of this scale: One, imperialist destructive competition led them to use destructive technology such as nuclear energy to ensure the raking-in of profit from their own home economies as well as super-profit the world over. In the arena of inter-imperialist mega-competition for markets and super-profit, environmental consideration has become insignificant. 

Two, massive environmental destruction worldwide, mostly caused by imperialist mining, logging and agribusiness plantations, result to thousands upon thousands of deaths around the world. The rapid depletion of mineral, forest and other natural resources, including the non-renewable crude oil, makes the world more vulnerable to cataclysmic catastrophes.  

Presently, the ruling big bourgeoisie in Japan, the US, Germany, France and other imperialist–ruled countries dictates the rapidity of “development,” exacerbating the exploitation and oppression of millions of workers and peasants, and the wanton destruction of the natural environment. In Japan, the basic working masses bear the brunt of the folly of the monopoly capitalists’ destructive industries and their profiteering concept of “development,” which result in catastrophic disasters. 

The Chernobyl, Long Island and the recent Fukushima nuclear catastrophes clearly expose the bankruptcy of the twisted logic of the imperialist and their local cohorts in the Aquino government who are just waiting for an opportune time to open and operate the country’s own multi-billion dollar ticking poison bomb: theBataan Nuclear Power Plant. 

In Mindanao, the proliferation of open pit mining, logging and large agri-business companies, including large-scale fishing, have negatively impacted the environment. Natural diversity is destroyed, in particular, with the precedence of cash crops over food crops, wrecking ecological balance and putting us at risk during catastrophes.

If the reactionary government continues to make compromises with regard to the already depleted state of our environment, we, the Filipino people today and future generations, shall be left defenceless, with no natural resources of our own to cater to our needs, interests, and certainly no natural environment to shield us from disasters.

The NDFP-Mindanao firmly stands by the program of the National Democratic Revolution on the preservation and protection of the natural environment by working towards a nationalist industrialization that corresponds to the level and genuine development of our agriculture.

We, therefore, call on the Filipino people to demand from the Aquino government to: 1) stop large-scale mining, logging, agri-business and other similar businesses that cause irreparable damage to the natural environment; 2) cancel and completely shut-down the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) and place emphasis on tapping other environmentally-safe power sources; and 3) seriously work towards nationalist industrialization along with genuine agrarian reform.

(Sgd.) Ka Oris
Spokesperson
NDFP-Mindanao

Searsoliners batch 46

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Searsoliners Batch 46 at Marawi City. (From left to right) Marady Chum, Mary Khine, Emz, Karen, Francis Bacomo, Ms. Ha (wearing yellow), Ms. Shiela de Lima, Philip Htingbu Pan Aung and Fr. Peter Truong Van Phuc.

 

Unknown pains? It can be TMJ dysfunction says Oro dentist

CAGAYAN DE ORO JOURNAL (Ben Balce / June 9, 2010) – Dr. Benjamin Sia. D.MD, DDM on Wednesday said that many people who suffer from dizziness, earaches, face, head neck, shoulder and back pain, without knowing the cause of pain, but for him, it might be a TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) pain.

He said that many patients seeking medical cures for these types of problems frequently related on this kind of disorders. “Just told it was the patients’ mind, but it’s definitely not.”   

TMJ pain disorders according to Dr. Sia is usually occur because of unbalanced activity, spasm, or overuse of the jaw muscles. He elaborated that symptoms tend to be chronic, and treatment is aimed at eliminating the precipitating factors.

However, Dr. Sia said many symptoms may still not appear related to the TMJ itself, but the above types of disorders are likely common symptoms.

“People would go from expert to high-quality physicians seeking a cure. Then after years of unsuccessful treatment and spending much they learned still to live with pain,” said Dr. Sia.

Dr. Sia said it’s now known that condition TMJ pain or the Temporoandibular Joint syndrome accounts for a large number of these previously uncured and painful ailments.

Dr. Sia, who usually made TMJ treatment for long years, is running a dental clinic in Cagayan de Oro City together with her wife Dr. Sandy Tankiko Sia, located at the 2^nd Floor, Betty Bldg, 105 Hayes corner Velez Streets.

Sia said that the above types of pains are symptoms of the syndrome and not the problem itself. “Correcting the problem rather than the symptom is at the heart of TMJ treatment.”

“The primary purpose of this kind of treatment is to eliminate the pain,” said Sia.

He also said that on today’s new knowledge and technology, dentists are able to diagnose and treat TMJ problems which previously have been overlooked.

He said that medical profession is becoming more aware of dentistry’s involvement and physicians are referring patients to dentists knowledgeable in TMJ treatment.

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Unknown pains? It can be TMJ dysfunction says Oro dentist

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CAGAYAN DE ORO JOURNAL (Ben Balce / June 9, 2010) – Dr. Benjamin Sia. D.MD, DDM on Wednesday said that many people who suffer from dizziness, earaches, face, head neck, shoulder and back pain, without knowing the cause of pain, but for him, it might be a TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) pain.

He said that many patients seeking medical cures for these types of problems frequently related on this kind of disorders. “Just told it was the patients’ mind, but it’s definitely not.”   

TMJ pain disorders according to Dr. Sia is usually occur because of unbalanced activity, spasm, or overuse of the jaw muscles. He elaborated that symptoms tend to be chronic, and treatment is aimed at eliminating the precipitating factors.

However, Dr. Sia said many symptoms may still not appear related to the TMJ itself, but the above types of disorders are likely common symptoms.

“People would go from expert to high-quality physicians seeking a cure. Then after years of unsuccessful treatment and spending much they learned still to live with pain,” said Dr. Sia.

Dr. Sia said it’s now known that condition TMJ pain or the Temporoandibular Joint syndrome accounts for a large number of these previously uncured and painful ailments.

Dr. Sia, who usually made TMJ treatment for long years, is running a dental clinic in Cagayan de Oro City together with her wife Dr. Sandy Tankiko Sia, located at the 2^nd Floor, Betty Bldg, 105 Hayes corner Velez Streets.

Sia said that the above types of pains are symptoms of the syndrome and not the problem itself. “Correcting the problem rather than the symptom is at the heart of TMJ treatment.”

“The primary purpose of this kind of treatment is to eliminate the pain,” said Sia.

He also said that on today’s new knowledge and technology, dentists are able to diagnose and treat TMJ problems which previously have been overlooked.

He said that medical profession is becoming more aware of dentistry’s involvement and physicians are referring patients to dentists knowledgeable in TMJ treatment.

 

Justice to mining disaster victims in the Philippines

March 24, 1996, Exactly 14 years ago, the worst mining disaster happened in Marinduque Island, Philippines put the country in the global map. The mine tailing collapse occurred a year after the passage of the Philippine Mining Act or R.A. 7942.

The disaster resulted in the release of over 1.6 million cubic meters of tailings along 27 km of the river and the coastal areas. The impact on the river and the people who depend on it for their livelihoods was massive. The rush of tailings displaced river water which inundated low-lying areas, destroying crops and vegetable gardens and clogging irrigation channels to rice fields. The release left the Boac River virtually dead.

The Marcopper Mining Corporation Officially started its mining operations on Marinduque Island, in 1969 at what was known as the Mt. Tapian ore deposit. This was after a number of years of mining exploration and studies. When the Mt. Tapian reserve was depleted in 1990, Marcopper continued its operations utilizing the San Antonio copper ore body which lies some 3 kilometers north of the Mt. Tapian mining complex. Mine tailings from the Mt. Tapian ore deposit were discharged into Calancan Bay.

It is estimated that a total of no less than 84 million metric tons of mine tailings were discharged into this shallow bay between 1975 and 1988. Due to constant complaints by local residents against the continued dumping of mine tailings into Calancan Bay, it was agreed that the old Mt. Tapian open-cut mine site would be used to receive mine tailings from the San Antonio operations on a temporary basis. In spite of the unconventional use of the Tapian Pit as a containment system, no environmental risk assessment and management was carried out by Marcopper.

The incident involved the Marcopper which has been carrying out open-pit copper mining since the 1970s. When the company finished one of its operations in Marinduque, it plugged up the old pit with a concrete fixture to allow the pit to act as a disposal lake for mining waste. In August 1995, a significant leak was discovered in the pit's drainage tunnel. This subsequently fractured. The accident discharged tailings into the Makulapnit-Boac (Boac) river system. The effects of the incident were so devastating that a UN assessment mission declared the accident to be a major environmental disaster. The Tapian pit contained around 23 million metric tons of mine waste. Officials of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) claim that they did not know of the presence of the drainage tunnel measuring 2.6 kilometers long and 1 meter wide which was found underneath, which leads to the Makulapnit and Boac river system.

The toxic spills immediately caused flash floods which isolated five villages, with a population of 4,400 people, along the far side of the Boac river. One village, Barangay Hinapulan, was buried under six feet of muddy floodwater and 400 families had to flee to higher grounds. Their sources of drinking water were contaminated while fish, freshwater shrimp and pigs were killed. Helicopters had to fly in food, water and medical supplies to the isolated villages. Residents of 20 villages out of the 60 villages in the whole province were advised to evacuate their communities.

The government estimates that this toxic tailings waste killed P1.8 million worth of mature freshwater and marine life and P5 million bangus fry. The 27-kilometre Boac river, which is the main source of livelihood for those who are not part of the 1,000-strong workforce of Marcopper, has been declared dead by government officials.

On 17 April 1996, the Department of Health (DOH) came up with a report which said that residents could already be harbouring in their bodies amounts of zinc and copper which are beyond tolerable limits. Despite these findings, Marcopper held on to the claim that the tailings were non-toxic.

The drinking water residents relied on was contaminated. Fish, shrimp and other food sources, which are the main livelihood for those who do not work for Marcopper, were immediately killed. After the disaster, Marcopper and Placer Dome closed down all their mines. The government attempted to cover up the fact they did not enforce environmental laws throughout the years. The local residents in Marinduque have also claimed they knew about the tunnel for almost 20 years. Evidence came to light that Marcopper knew of the leak in the drainage tunnel well in advance of the accident, as there had been a long history of On October 4, 2005, the provincial government of Marinduque sued Marcopper's parent company, Placer Dome, for $100 million in damages. Placer Dome was purchased in 2006 by Barrick Gold, who has now been joined in the lawsuit.

Marcopper and Placerdome left tons of hazardous wastes together with the unpaid millions of pesos of taxes due to the local government.  They left an impoverished economy and a devastated environment that the people are now trying to rehabilitate by themselves.  They find the present policy of the national government of aggressively promoting mining throughout the country a great insult, as if what happened to the island province of Marinduque was not enough.  Marinduque Island remains one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines.

The impact brought by mining in the lives of the people is not an isolated case for Marinduque, the growing resistance of the community all over the Philippines calling for the scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act or R.A. 7942. Mining Act is a national policy of attracting extractive industries such as mining at the expense of the environment, people’s rights and welfare and national patrimony.

The LRC-KsK, the Alternative Law Groups (ALG) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) are filing cases of mining affected communities in the Philippines on March 24 to give justice to the people devastated their lives by Mining.

Carl Cesar C. Rebuta

Cagayan de Oro Regional Office

Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-

Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth-Philippines (LRC-KsK)

Cocoy.rebuta@lrcksk.org

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Justice to mining disaster victims in the Philippines

March 24, 1996, Exactly 14 years ago, the worst mining disaster happened in Marinduque Island, Philippines put the country in the global map. The mine tailing collapse occurred a year after the passage of the Philippine Mining Act or R.A. 7942.

The disaster resulted in the release of over 1.6 million cubic meters of tailings along 27 km of the river and the coastal areas. The impact on the river and the people who depend on it for their livelihoods was massive. The rush of tailings displaced river water which inundated low-lying areas, destroying crops and vegetable gardens and clogging irrigation channels to rice fields. The release left the Boac River virtually dead.

The Marcopper Mining Corporation Officially started its mining operations on Marinduque Island, in 1969 at what was known as the Mt. Tapian ore deposit. This was after a number of years of mining exploration and studies. When the Mt. Tapian reserve was depleted in 1990, Marcopper continued its operations utilizing the San Antonio copper ore body which lies some 3 kilometers north of the Mt. Tapian mining complex. Mine tailings from the Mt. Tapian ore deposit were discharged into Calancan Bay.

It is estimated that a total of no less than 84 million metric tons of mine tailings were discharged into this shallow bay between 1975 and 1988. Due to constant complaints by local residents against the continued dumping of mine tailings into Calancan Bay, it was agreed that the old Mt. Tapian open-cut mine site would be used to receive mine tailings from the San Antonio operations on a temporary basis. In spite of the unconventional use of the Tapian Pit as a containment system, no environmental risk assessment and management was carried out by Marcopper.

The incident involved the Marcopper which has been carrying out open-pit copper mining since the 1970s. When the company finished one of its operations in Marinduque, it plugged up the old pit with a concrete fixture to allow the pit to act as a disposal lake for mining waste. In August 1995, a significant leak was discovered in the pit's drainage tunnel. This subsequently fractured. The accident discharged tailings into the Makulapnit-Boac (Boac) river system. The effects of the incident were so devastating that a UN assessment mission declared the accident to be a major environmental disaster. The Tapian pit contained around 23 million metric tons of mine waste. Officials of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) claim that they did not know of the presence of the drainage tunnel measuring 2.6 kilometers long and 1 meter wide which was found underneath, which leads to the Makulapnit and Boac river system.

The toxic spills immediately caused flash floods which isolated five villages, with a population of 4,400 people, along the far side of the Boac river. One village, Barangay Hinapulan, was buried under six feet of muddy floodwater and 400 families had to flee to higher grounds. Their sources of drinking water were contaminated while fish, freshwater shrimp and pigs were killed. Helicopters had to fly in food, water and medical supplies to the isolated villages. Residents of 20 villages out of the 60 villages in the whole province were advised to evacuate their communities.

The government estimates that this toxic tailings waste killed P1.8 million worth of mature freshwater and marine life and P5 million bangus fry. The 27-kilometre Boac river, which is the main source of livelihood for those who are not part of the 1,000-strong workforce of Marcopper, has been declared dead by government officials.

On 17 April 1996, the Department of Health (DOH) came up with a report which said that residents could already be harbouring in their bodies amounts of zinc and copper which are beyond tolerable limits. Despite these findings, Marcopper held on to the claim that the tailings were non-toxic.

The drinking water residents relied on was contaminated. Fish, shrimp and other food sources, which are the main livelihood for those who do not work for Marcopper, were immediately killed. After the disaster, Marcopper and Placer Dome closed down all their mines. The government attempted to cover up the fact they did not enforce environmental laws throughout the years. The local residents in Marinduque have also claimed they knew about the tunnel for almost 20 years. Evidence came to light that Marcopper knew of the leak in the drainage tunnel well in advance of the accident, as there had been a long history of On October 4, 2005, the provincial government of Marinduque sued Marcopper's parent company, Placer Dome, for $100 million in damages. Placer Dome was purchased in 2006 by Barrick Gold, who has now been joined in the lawsuit.

Marcopper and Placerdome left tons of hazardous wastes together with the unpaid millions of pesos of taxes due to the local government.  They left an impoverished economy and a devastated environment that the people are now trying to rehabilitate by themselves.  They find the present policy of the national government of aggressively promoting mining throughout the country a great insult, as if what happened to the island province of Marinduque was not enough.  Marinduque Island remains one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines.

The impact brought by mining in the lives of the people is not an isolated case for Marinduque, the growing resistance of the community all over the Philippines calling for the scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act or R.A. 7942. Mining Act is a national policy of attracting extractive industries such as mining at the expense of the environment, people’s rights and welfare and national patrimony.

The LRC-KsK, the Alternative Law Groups (ALG) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) are filing cases of mining affected communities in the Philippines on March 24 to give justice to the people devastated their lives by Mining.

Carl Cesar C. Rebuta

Cagayan de Oro Regional Office

Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-

Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth-Philippines (LRC-KsK)

Cocoy.rebuta@lrcksk.org

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12,000 signatures call to cancel IFMA permits in Gingoog City

CAGAYAN Journal ( BEN BALCE / Dec 19) - Hundreds of petitioners who converged at the Parish of Gingoog city filed a complaint Friday asking the local government authorities to immediate withdraw the resolution endorsing the “legal logging” activity through an Industrial Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) permit of Southwood Timber Corporation (STC).

Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan (LRC-CdO) team Leader Carl Cesar C. Rebuta said the petitioners even called for the immediate cancellation of their IFMA.

“We have already signed a petition and collected at least 12,000 signatures to oppose such agreement,” said Rebuta adding that the agreement was undeniably harmful to the environment and especially to the lives and livelihood of thousand others in the whole region.

Rebuta said the complaint with 12,000 signatures was filed at 9:00 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 18, 2009) before the office of Mayor Ruthie Guingona and the Sangunniang Panglungsod office.

According to Rebuta the undefeatable calamities and political tragedies which have battered the country has left the country in a dismal state.

In his statements sent to this paper, Rebuta said that in the aftermath of the events of the floods Ondoy and Pepeng alone, thousands of Filipinos are left without homes and grieving over loved ones, whether they were actually lost or found.

“In the local scenario, the people of Misamis Oriental are no stranger to these calamities,” said Rebuta.

This year alone, he said massive destruction has been brought to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog due to the flashfloods and heavy rains last January and November incidents.

But these destructive incidents will not cease as more and more environmental laws and prohibitions are being blatantly disregarded by various mining and logging corporations, giving way to enormous environmental devastation, according to Rebuta.

The petitioners who signed the complaint were members of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth (LRC-KsK/FoE), Ecology care(Ecop-care), non-government organizations in Misamis Oriental and along with the various communities surrounding the areas of Mt. Balatucan and Mt. Minalwang, all of Misamis Oriental.

“Such agreement (IFMA) will prove to be detrimental not only to the environment but also to our lives, livelihood, homes, families and the entire communities,” said Rebuta.

IFMA agreement will allow the Southwood Timber Corporation (STC) to cut trees in the areas which are deemed in the process of becoming a watershed, which is crucial to the communities’ everyday life.

Under IFMA, he also said that it will enable them to harvest those trees which serve as protection against upcoming calamities and floods which will affect the regions in the future.

Rebuta said that as such agreement of 11,476 hectares which will last for 25 years.

“One can only imagine what kind of calamities and floods our region will have to experience based on the flashfloods we have experienced this year alone,” said Rebuta.

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‘Haba-haball’ driver’s murder still puzzles cops

CAGAYAN Journal (Ben Balce / Dec. 18) - THE Bulua police yesterday found a habal-habal driver brutally killed at Apovel Subdivision.

The victim was identified as Jectofer Pio, 25, of St. Ignatius, Barangay Macasandig. He hailed from Magcalugay, San Fernando, Bukidnon.

‘‘He bathed in his own blood,’’ said SPO1 Dominador Datahan, chief investigator of the Bulua police.

Datahan said the victim was found near the gate of one of the houses in Apovel at around 12:30 am.

“Murag manok nga gipatay ang biktima,” said Datahan, adding that the victim’s head was nearly severed.

There was blood on the road up to the gate.

Bulua police head Chief Insp. Dexter Paje said investigators were still conducting an investigation in hopes of identifying a suspect.

Paje said he doubted if the robbery was a motive. He said police found the victim’s personal belongings intact.

“No robbery here. The wallet, including his income for that day and his cellular phone, (are) still intact,” said Paje.

He said the victim was dead when members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) came.

Paje said police investigators are now focused on the last person who contacted the victim.

The victim’s wife Rowena Pio, 24, told this paper that she has no suspect in mind.

Rowena said her husband left the house after receiving a text message from a customer at around 10 pm.

The text message reads: ‘‘Pre, pahatod ko nimu sa Camaman-an. Hulat ko diri sa imo. OK? Salamat. Naa japun sa gisunduan nimu.’’

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