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Volume 29, No. 208
WWW.MINDANAOGOLDSTARDAILY.COM
March 5, 2018
Monday
DENR
orders probeinto Surigao mining
Iligan creates rewards system for informants vs terror
story onpage 2MINING IN CANTILAN
. An aerial photo taken Feb. 22 shows damaged settling ponds and cut trees on the mining site in Sipangpang, Barangay Cabangahan, Cantilan town in Surigao del Sur. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will start an investigation into allegations that mining operations
aggravated the effects of the oods spawned by storm “Basyang” in Feb. 13. (
PHOTO
BY
ERWIN
MASCARIÑAS
)By
ERWIN MASCARIÑAS
Correspondent
GIRL POWER
. Cowgirls grapple a bull to put down the animal in this bit of rodeo action in Manolo Fortich
town, Bukidnon on Friday. (
PHOTO
BY
FROILAN
GALLARDO
)
M
ADRID, Surigao del Sur – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered an investigation into mining operations that have been blamed for the destructive impact of storm “Basyang” in the province last month.The DENR would be looking into the mining operations along with civil society groups as a response to calls for a no-nonsense investigation amid allegations that mas-sive mining operations aggravated the effects of the February storm, particularly in the badly hit towns of Cantilan and Carrascal. In Feb. 17, former Catholic Bishops’ Con-ference of the Philippines president Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag issued a pastoral letter, calling for an immediate and independent investi-
gation into the oodings.
In a March 1 memo-randum by Environment Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr., the DENR also ordered an action planning workshop and a multi-sectoral ocular site inspection to look into the issues and concerns aris-ing from the deaths and destruction that occurred during the onslaught of Basyang.The DENR would also closely work with civil society groups in looking into the extent of logging operations in the prov-ince, including mining
activities of rms in their
concession areas, said lawyer Michelle Angelica Go, DENR assistant sec-
retary for eld operations
in Mindanao. Go said, “A manage-ment conference of the
DENR ofces, including
the Mines and Geosci-ences Bureau and Envi-ronmental Management Bureau, must be held. The
SC ‘spectacle’ worriesPelaez, splits lawyers
By
NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
MISAMIS Oriental Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez has expressed his disappoint-ment over the “internal squabbles” in the Supreme Court, saying Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s leave of absence as a result of the bickerings among magistrates is unprece-dented.“I’m sad about what’s happening in the Supreme Courts,” said Pelaez even as he pointed out that cit-izens have always held Justices in high esteem.Pelaez said he could not recall when the SC was headed by an offi-cer-in-charge as a result of internal squabblings.He said the “internal squabbles” have become a “public spectacle.” He said he hoped the administration of justice in the country would not be adversely affected.This came even as law-yers here greeted Sere-no’s leave of absence and the bickerings in the SC
Ozamiz still reeling from Parojinog era
By
FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent
OZAMIZ City -- Seven months after the brutal killing of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 of his relatives, Ozamiz is trying to move away from its violent past.Acting mayor Girlette Luansing said they are hoping their new thrusts on tourism will change the violent image of the city.“Ozamiz was never a good tourist destination be-fore because of the violent image of the Parojinogs,” Luansing said.
NBI eyes lifesentence vsman linked to marijuana plantations
By
JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondent
THE National Bureau of Investigation over the weekend said it was build-ing a strong case against a man arrested for his al-leged role in maintaining two marijuana plantations in Iligan City. NBI agent Jerry Ta-mayo said Jason Ermac, ar-rested during a raid in Ili-gan last week, was charged with violation of Article 11, Section 16 of RA 9165 before the city’s prosecu-
tion ofce on Friday.
Tamayo said he was optimistic that NBI would
Camiguin gets ready for ‘Panaad’
PREPARATIONS for the Holy Week in the island province of Camiguin are underway.Camiguin Gov. Maria Luisa Romualdo has met with the all the town may-ors, technical staff, and
See
PROBE
/p.11
See
LINKED
/p.11
See
PANAAD
/p.11
See
REELING
/p.11
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SPLITS
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Iligan creates reward system for tipster of terror activities
ILIGAN City — A reward of P10,000 await infor-mants of terrorist activities in the city, Mayor Celso Regencia said.Regencia said the re-ward system was necessary to arrest terrorist elements, or foil attacks similar to what occurred in Marawi City last year.Citing intelligence re- port, Regencia said rem-nants of the Maute group are eyeing Iligan as the next target for terrorist attacks.The Maute group, he added, has been actively recruiting new members and forming alliances with sympathizers in the city.“They are planning a violent attack. We should not let our guard down,” the mayor said.Regencia said law en-forcement agencies have been closely monitoring several personalities, in-cluding safe houses that are possibly harboring Maute members.Senior Supt. Leony Roy Ga, city police director, said the local police have also
been beeng up resources
to counter the threats.
He said a eet of pick-
up trucks to improve the local police’s mobility is already in the pipeline, including a fresh supply of guns and ammunitions.For his part, Regencia underscored the cooper-ation of local residents in maintaining peace and or-der in the city.
(
PNA
)
Supreme Court’s Acting Justice is from Mindanao
DAVAO City — Senior Associate Justice Antonio Tirol Carpio has taken over as Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court starting March 1, the date of ef-
fectivity of the “indenite leave” led by Chief Justice
Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who is facing impeachment by Congress.This is the second time Carpio, chair of the Second Division and of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, is serving as Acting Chief Justice. The first was in 2012 when he assumed the post vacated by the impeached Renato Coro-na, from May 29, 2012 until Sereno, Corona’s successor, was appointed on August 24 that same year. Sereno, the country’s first woman Chief Justice, also has Min-dana-won roots: she was born in Manila but her father was from Siasi, Sulu. Her husband is from Davao City.Carpio was sworn in as member of the Supreme Court on Oct. 26, 2001, his 52nd birthday. He is set to retire next year when he reaches 70.Under the Duterte ad-ministration, Carpio has been among the dissent-ing voices in the Supreme Court. He voted against the Marcos burial in 2016, last year argued that martial law should have been declared only in Marawi City and not in all of Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities, and dissented as well in the ex-tension of martial law. He has also been very vocal on the issue of the West Philippine Sea and the Duterte administration’s policy towards China. Only last week, he told CNN Phil-ippines that China’s contin-ued militarization there is a national threat.“If the present adminis-tration is sleeping on their job, it’s our duty to wake them up and to tell them to protect our sovereign rights,” he said.“Once we lose our sov-ereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, we can never get it back... China will never return it,” Carpio added.
According to his prole
posted on the SC web-site, Carpio, shortly after his appointment in 2001, launched for the judiciary the Supreme Court e-li- brary, the first full-text searchable and retrievable on-line law library in the Philippines.
(
MINDANEWS
)
BEATING THE RED LIGHT.
A trafc enforcer sorts out two motorists who crashed into each other in trying to beat the red light at the junction of Velez-JR Borja Streets in downtown Cagayan de Oro.
Photo by Joey P. Nacalaban
Kalimudan, Usaid hand livelihood equipment
By FRANK E. DOSDOS, JR.
Correspondent
KALIMUDAN sa Ranao Foundation through the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) Engage program distributed livelihood equip-ment to three barangays in Marawi City recently.Ding Cali of Kalimudan told reporters that the equip-ment consist of sewing ma-chines and t-shirt printing machines worth over P200 thousand per barangay.He said the giving of equipment is in support of the youth-led livelihood projects of barangays Ca-dayonan, Biabadamag Malutlut, and Matampay.Kalimudan sa Ranao Incorporated has been consistently supporting community projects in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur for many years, Cali said.Usaid is one of its ma- jor supporters in the in-ternational community, he added.
Capitol to celebrate Public Library Day
PROVINCIAL Library of Misamis Oriental togeth-er with Richel Pajara, the acting provincial librarian will be celebrating a Public Library Day on March 9, with a theme: “
Limang K para maging OK sa Akla-tan
(
Kultura, Kalusugan, Kabuhayan, Karunungan, Kalikasan
).”This celebration will pro-mote the effectiveness of books in different areas, such as culture, health, livelihood, knowledge, and natural re-sources.Meanwhile, as part of its community service, the Pro-vincial Library of Misamis Oriental will be having an outreach Program/Spiritual Nourishment at Misamis Oriental Provincial Jail and Rehabilitation where they will extend their celebration helping and sharing the inmates inside the facility.The inmates will receive gifts, free haircut, and a feeding program.“This celebration will not only give us more books to read, more information to gain but this will also showcase the services that promote humanity for ev-eryone being behind bars or not,” Pajara said.Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano urged the public to take advantage of the free access to books for research purposes at the Provincial
Library Ofce.
(
PIO
MISOR
)
Marawi benets from
P115-m infra projects
COTABATO City — Au-tonomous Region in Mus-lim Mindanao (Armm) Gov. Mujiv Hataman led the groundbreaking of two infrastructure projects in Marawi City worth P115 million.The two Marawi projects involved the P90-million integrated market, food, and trans- port terminal in Barangay Buadi Sacayo and the P25-million rehabilita-tion of the city hall and health center.The undertaking is a joint venture of the Armm Government and city gov-ernment of Marawi.Hataman said the proj-ects are part of the regional government’s rehabilita-tion efforts for Marawi.
(
PNA
)
Normin dev’t communications body to hold information caravan
THE Communication and Advocacy Program Sub-Committee (Cap-SC) of the Regional Develop-ment Council in Northern Mindanao will hold an infor-mation and service caravan in April to bring government closer to the people.The caravan aims to enhance public awareness on government programs, projects and services that will eventually contribute to the attainment of the outcomes of the Regional Development Plan.By bringing information and services to the ground, people in low-income mu-
nicipalities and/or far-ung
areas are assured to receive basic services that govern-ment agencies are supposed to give.The caravan will be con-ducted in partnership with the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army to address peace and security
problems in conict-affect
-ed areas while also ensuring local developmentAgencies who volun-teered to provide free ser-vices are Department of Ag-riculture on land conversion and provision of vegetable seeds, Department of In-formation and Communica-tions Technology on digital literacy and cyber security, Department of Environment and Natural Resources on land titling processes and geo-hazard info campaign, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation on PhilHealth sponsored-program iden-
tication distribution, and
the Department of Science and Technology on food packaging, among others.
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PIA
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M
INDANAO
Editor:
Cong B. Corrales
Monday, March 5, 2018
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Gold Star Daily
Monday, March 5, 2018
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