Black Sand Extraction in Lingayen’s Eco-Tourism Zone “No violation of mining law” – MGB

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan ---If there will be selling of the black sand extracted from an area where an 18-hole golf course is being developed here it does not violate any mining law. Based on the clarification of issues made by Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Carlos Tayag, the provincial government is cleared from any legal liability on the controversial black sand extraction. “If the black sand has a commercial value then the provincial government can sell it,” Tayag said when asked by the media about the issue. The mines bureau official explained that extraction of the magnetite or black sand was necessary because turf grass would not grow with its presence in the golf course area.” “It is difficult to develop vegetation so the purpose of the magnetite extraction was just to separate it from the soil,” Tayag said, as he pointed out that since the extracted magnetite sand has no use in the project, the “option is to sell it to interested buyers if it has a commercial value.” “Why not maximize the use of magnetite, kung puwedeng ibenta bakit di nila ibenta,” Tayag said during the forum arranged by his office last November 29 at the YMCA Building in Dagupan City. With regards to inquiries of what permit should the government grant to the project, Tayag said they have recommended a government gratuitous permit which is free as long as it is for a government project. Tayag also noted that the Environmental Compliance Certificate which the provincial government applied for will already cover the whole of the eco-tourism project. The MGB Regional Office has called on the media through the forum to ask for their support to help them in informing the people of what they are doing to implement responsible mining. Raul Collado, officer-in-charge of the bureau’s mines management office said the media is the best instrument in providing information to people. (PIO/Angie D. Villanueva)

BRAGANZA URGES ESPINO : Stop blaming Roxas for your inefficiency

Lomibao and Braganza (2nd and 3rd from Left in 2nd Row) during their consultation in the 3rd District, Pangasinan

Gov. Amado Espino and his mouthpieces are barking up the wrong tree in blaming Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas for Pangasinan’s inclusion among the “high-risk” provinces in the 2013 election. “Why blame Secretary Roxas sa mga kaguluhang nangyayari sa Pangasinan?
Nangyari po iyong inclusion na ‘yan hindi ho dahil sa election na paparating kundi dahil sa mga krimeng nangyari sa mga nakaraan na ilang taon. They should not lay the blame on somebody else when politicians are being killed by politicians themselves in the province.” This was pointed out by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani “Nani” Braganza, Liberal Party candidate for governor, and his partymate former PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao, during the Peace and Development Forum. At the said forum held in Lingayen – the seat of the provincial administration – media pundits were surprised as Lingayenians themselves affirmed Braganza’s and Lomibao’s contentions. In giving Braganza and Lomibao a standing ovation, the forum participants have strongly manifested their grave concern over the prevailing peace and order condition in the province, adding that “the province of Pangasinan is far from being the safest place to live in, invest and raise a family.” Lomibao voiced strong suspicion that the demand for the removal of Pangasinan from the list of high-risk provinces is part of a sinister plot. “Be thankful to Roxas. Gusto niyang maging mas secured ang Pangasinan,” he said. “Baka po may balak silang gumawa ng masama sa eleksyon kaya ayaw nila sa inclusion.” Braganza, on the other hand, lamented the demise of the Arcinue couple of Lingayen which he said could have been averted. “Dito ho sa bayan ninyo may mga larawan ng mga pulitikong pinatay. Kung naimbestigahan lang ho nang tama nung una silang inambush dapat buhay pa ho sila ngayon. Pero hindi ho ganon dahil pinabayaan ng ating gobyerno, ng ating gobernador,” he said. He stressed that the provincial government should not blame Secretary Roxas for another murder incident that took the life of a Liga ng Mga Barangay President from Agno. Through Braganza’s efforts, however, the suspect has been caught and charged. Another killing incident transpired in Alcala where the victim was a kagawad opposing illegal quarrying in their town. “Kung may kasamaang nangyayari sa iyong probinsya, harapin mo yan at huwag maninisi ng ibang tao,” Braganza said (PRESS RELEASE).

SP expresses dismay on ‘hot spot’ tag on Pangasinan

Lingayen- - - The Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution expressing dismay over a declaration by the Department of the Interior and Local Government in the list of 15 hot spots in the country which caused an uproar in the entire province. The resolution, entitled, “Expressing the deep sense of dismay and frustration in the identification of Pangasinan among the election high-risk spots in the 2013 election and seeking the immediate removal of the province from the said list by the Honorable Dept. of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas,” is the unanimous move of the provincial and local government officials to disprove the negative perception tagged against the province. In the question hour during the Sanggunaing Panlalawigan’s regular session on December 3, DILG Regional Director said that his office was “not consulted regarding the matter nor asked to submit any report.” Guray said that she was surprised to learn the inclusion of Pangasinan in the list of 15 high-risk provinces, as she pointed out that the province is an awardee of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Award (the mother of all governance awards). “I may not know the other parameters used but Pangasinan will vie against 6 other provinces in the entire country in the national level for GPL award,”guray said as she noted that one of the factors of the search pertains to peace and order. Earlier, the provincial government conducted a consultation-dialogue with local government officials and other national agencies like COMELEC, DILG and PNP on Safe Elections 2013 where 35 town and city mayors of Pangasinan signed a resolution seeming to delis the province as high risk spot. Board Member Agerico Rosario said that while the province has been earning numerous awards and citations over the past five years, the high-risk tag has caused a negative impression for Pangasinan. PNP Police Senior Supt and OIC Provincial Director Mariano Luis M. Verzosa, Jr. noted that there are five parameters considered before an area can be dubbed as election hot spot. According to Verzosa, the parameters include presence of private armed groups, history of election-related incidents, shooting incidents victimizing political personalities, proliferation of loose firearms/end of renewed license, and intense political rivalry. While the PNP OIC said that although there are some isolated cases involving at least nine towns in the province, he reported that Pangasinan has the lowest index crime rate in Region I. Positive steps undertaken by the police force, Verzosa said, involve the creation of Special Task Force 2013 that will mobilize PNP units and regional special units like DILG among others. Most senior Board Member Alfonso Bince, Jr. said that even without consultation and “relevant sharing,” Pangasinan was included by the DILG in the list thus, he stressed, the move to strongly refute the declaration is justifiable since that the province is generally peaceful and there had never been any reported violence in the past (during and after the holding of national and local elections). Meanwhile, Board Member Ranjit Shahani said that the high-risk tag basically not fair to Pangasinan considering the PNP report that the province posted the lowest in terms of crime rate percentage as compared to the three other provinces in Region I. Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, and PNP Police Chief Nicanor Bartolome. (PIO/Ruby R. Bernardino)

Pangasinan included in 15 'high-risk' provinces for polls

KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA NEWS

 The government on Friday identified a total of 15 provinces where violence is likely to take place in next year's midterm elections.
 On Friday, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas described the areas as high risk because of the number of election-related violence, private armies, running family feuds, rebel groups, and gangs and crime groups existing there. "Itong 15 probinsyang ito ayon sa datos ng nakaraan na hawak ng DILG at PNP, dito yung pinaka high risk na magkaroon ng karahasan sa darating na halalan kaya ito ang pina-prioritize ng probinsya," Roxas said during a press briefing at Camp Crame. He identified the 15 provinces as:
 Abra
Pangasinan
 Ilocos Sur
La Union
Cagayan
Pampanga
Nueva Ecija
 Batangas
Cavite Masbate
 Samar
Misamis
Occidental
Maguindano
 Lanao del Sur
 Basilan

 "Usually generational ito [feuds], nagkapatayan na. Sobrang intense at bawat halalan ay pagkakataon para masariwa ang giyera sa pagitan ng mga ito. Yung crime groups and gangs, nagiging gun for hire sila. Nagpapa-tap sila sa pulitika na ganid at kapit tuko sa pwesto kaya karahasan ang ginagamit para manatili sa pwesto," Roxas said. Citing data from the Philippine National Police, Roxas said there are 60 active private armed groups all over the country while there are another 37 potential groups being monitored. But Roxas said that they are not forgetting the other provinces with the listing of the 15. He likewise said that the "areas of concern" will be a different list. "There may be some provinces where one congressional district [is] an area of concern but not the entire province. Inuna natin ang places na may high risk. Hindi naman ibig sabihin kinalimutan na ang iba. Pinriority lang," he said. "Gusto talaga nating maiwasan na maulit ang Maguindanao massacre kaya ngayon pa lang inuunahan na natin para hindi kami maging left behind, hindi behind the curve," he added. The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre, occurred on November 23, 2009 in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao. On that day, 58 people - 32 of whom were journalists - were bruttaly killed while they were on their way to file then Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu's certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor. The DILG chief said the PNP began its operations in the 15 provinces early so that the risks may be lessened. The PNP is under the supervision of the DILG. Task forces PNP Deputy Director General Alan Purisima, who has been touted to be the next PNP chief, said they will have several task forces, including one for legal offensive, firearms and security, logistics, and finance to prepare for the polls. "There will [also] be regional task force that will be implementing out operations in each region," Purisima said. Roxas added there will be a task force in each province, which he said can also help out during the holiday season. "There will be intensified operations. Ngayon pa lang magkakaroon ng checkpoint, operation sita, operation bakal," he said. Loose firearms Roxas said that among their priorities is the collection of loose firearms. "There are estimated 35 thousand loose firearms in the country. There is [also] about 552, 338 firearms whose license has not been renewed. So technically illegal na ito," he said. "Pupuntahan [namin] ang address ng bawat isa dito, kung kasama sa 15 probinsya. Kakatukin ng pulis, ipapa-deposito ang firearms habang nagpapa-renew ng lisensya para hindi imaging illegal ito, malaki ang parusa sa illegal possession of firearms," he added. Roxas also said there will be a reshuffle among bodyguards of officials and an audit of jails in the province. He said the number of bodyguards will be limited to two per official. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome added that security personnel will be required to use a uniform while they are on duty. "Ang mga protective agents, meron silang uniporme na gagamitin. Ito po ay mag-uumpisa sa aming pakikipag usap sa kalihim. December 10 mag uumpisa ang paggamit ng uniporme ng protective agents at PNP. Hindi na natin i-aallow ang mga naka-barong. Para ito sa mga nagparehistrong kandidato starting December 10," he said. Aside from this, he said that the PNP will likewise establish a joint security desk with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He said that there will also be a media center which will operate 24/7, which will disseminate important information to the public through the media. With all of these preparations, Roxas assured of a safe and peaceful electins next year. "Iba ang halalan sa ilalim ni PNoy. Ito ay magiging ligtas, fair, orderly at kung ano ang tinig ng sambayan, siya ang lalabas. Hindi magpapagamit ang pulis at DILG para sa isang panig o kaninuman. Wala po kaming sasantuhin, hindi itop sa partido at kung anong tsaleko ang suot. Gagawing tama para maging ligtas ang magiging halalan," he said. — RSJ, GMA News

MGB's bosses encourage Black Sand Mining

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

 Greed, just like what happened to the Aman Futures Group, Inc. investors, is human nature. Fear of death, just like what happened to the five of AMAN personnel who surrendered to the NBI, is also part of human nature.
Some of those who were involved with the AMAN scam have been waylaid by angry swindled members who are military and police officials, and members of prominent Muslim clans in Mindanao. In case Pagadian City Mayor Sammy Co is charged as conspirator of the P12 billion Ponzi scheme that duped 15,000 investors, he will be campaigning for his reelection bid for the May 13, 2013 inside the cold floor of the detention cell in or outside of his city. His case, syndicated estafa (swindling) is a non-bailable offense.
 ***
 Rep. Rachel Arenas (3rd District, Pangasinan) was ambivalent about persistent questions from the media, after she graced the alumni homecoming at Daniel Maramba National Highschool in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, whether she allows her mom Baby to substitute her in December 21, the deadline imposed by the Comelec for substituting candidates. “That’s the rumor I heard. Why you like her to replace me?” the unopposed lady solon throws a question instead by answering it. I told her that the perception is she will give way to her mom in 2013 as a strategy to break the law limit of three consecutive terms for her to avail the three terms mandated by law in case she wins in the same post in 2016.
 ***
In a press forum called by Mines & GeoScience Bureau under Director Carlos Tayag, Engr. Roel A. Collado, OIC, Mine Management Division of the MGB confirmed my query that MGB region-1 encouraged the administration of Mayor Irene Libunao in San Fabian, Pangasinan to pass a resolution in the Sanggunian Bayan (town council) for TGI to start the quarrying cum mining in the silt- thick Cayanga River in Brgy. Bued.
Mayor Libunao and Vice Mayor Leopoldo Manalo of San Fabian told me recently that the mining of magnetite black sand in Cayanga is not detrimental to the environment as it is not done in the sea shore. He said aside from the P400 thousand and P200 thousand the TGI will give monthly to the coffers of Brgy. Cayanga and the town, it will free the town of spending hundreds of thousands of pesos in dredging expenses.
He explained that TGI can get 60 percent of the sand and gravel some of which will be dumped at the banks and the seaside to avoid flood while 30 percent of the quarry that contains the black sand will be processed and sold. Apollo Barredo Bito-on, a mine consultant of Southern Scion based in Zambales, who was one of the attendees of the forum, explained that dredging is very expensive for the local government unit to shoulder. In case a corporation dredges or quarries a river bed for free, it is to earn from the things they get there like black sand and other minerals. “They (miners) are not hypocrite. They signed a pro-bono contract because they want to earn from the black sand. But the good thing there is flash floods would no longer be a threat,” he declared in Filipino.
 He explained that black sand in beach resorts is not good to beach goers. “Maiinit ang bakal ng black sand”. He added that magnetite black sand is acid that could undermine plants. He said the company he represents applied to quarry/mine the river in Cagayan de Oro where some city officials favorably acquiesced. “But the members of the city council was nonchalant thus it did not push through,” he said. As a result, the flash flood that snapped lives and gnawed properties there was a bitter lesson the people there learned.
He said if the city council there allowed them to dredge, the mammoth destruction would have been avoided. Director Tayag said San Fabian rivers are heavily silted that they invite flash floods to the town. He also cited the experience in Cagayan de Oro where island bars (silts) impeded the flood. He also said whoever gets a land title to the island bar in Cayanga his title will be revoked because the bar is a clear and present danger. ***
Manaoag town mayoralty bet Kim Amador talked to us media men about the absence of investors in his town where 60 per cent of revenue depends on the Internal Revenue Allotment.
I met Amador in the necrology of vice mayoralty candidate Aiza dela Cruz Villacorta, my ninang in my wedding and my kababayan who hails from Cotabato City after she married a PMAyer from the pilgrim town. I cited to Amador that the towns of Mangaldan and Sta. Barbara have P145 million and P139 million appropriation, respectively, versus the P100 million of Manaoag this year.
 I told him aside from the intercession of the mayor of Sta. Barbara to chalk up large scale industries like Pop Cola that chose the town for its soft drinks plant, it is already endowed with concrete roads in the far-flung barangays. “Sta Barbara got P23 million from the processing plant of Ginebra San Miguel, and another P8 million from Pop Cola every year,” I told him. Manaoag town , I was told , is pathetic that aside from the absence of big industries, it could not provide potable water system to the villages. “A large chunk of the households in the villages don’t have sanitary comfort room,” Amador said.
 ***
 BM Ming Rosario, another bet for the mayoralty, told me there that what Manaoag needs is a lighting system and the improvement of its economic-tourism industry where its Lady of Manaoag Shrine draws tourists all over the country. “After coming from Urdaneta City or San Jacinto town, one would get a jolt of their lives seeing this town in pitch darkness.
It’s because of the lack of vision of the leadership in this town,” he said. A source who asked for anonymity, told me that between Amador and Rosario voters in Manaoag will choose the latter. “Amador has a lot of dreams for Manaoag but Rosario’s generosity to help the sick and indigents plus his vision will make a difference,” he said.. Susmariosep, it’s Juan- the- tightwad versus Ely –the- generous! (You can read my selected thought-provoking columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com. and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Blame Game between Benjie and Belen‘s camps heats up

By Dave Paragas

 DAGUPAN CITY – “An exaggeration at its best and a poorly-scripted drama at its worst!” This was the terse reaction of former Bonuan Gueset Punong Barangay Angel C. Gumarang to Vice Mayor Belen T. Fernandez’s allegations linking him to the case of harassment made on her convoy of vehicles while on its way home from a community meeting at around l0:30 p.m of November 22 in barangay Bonuan Boquig here. Gumarang, who is Mayor Benjie S. Lim’s consultant on barangay affairs, also took exception to insinuations that he is “very close” to the suspect, identified as Ricardo (alyas Rey) Ceralde whom Fernandez mistook as a candidate for councilor aligned with her mayoralty rival. “For the information of Madame Belen, it was the suspect’s younger brother Orlando Ceralde who filed his candidacy as an independent councilor and who is not even known personally by the mayor,” he said. Admitting that the suspect is his cousin, Gumarang said he has not seen Rey for several months and that her mother and his wife were “traumatized” upon hearing the vice mayor’s TV interview hinting of his alleged closeness with the suspect, a brother of his “arc detractor” named Ramie who ran for barangay kagawad under a slate opposed to his candidacy for barangay captain in the last barangay polls. “Tumulong si rey sa candidacy ni Ramie against me. So ano ang closeness ko sa kanila na sinasabi ni Madam Belen?”
And what will prompt me to be a part of the harassment? What will be the motive?” he asked. He added: “Firstly, mag-isa lang nung Toyota revo na menaneho ni Rey against the convoy of VM Belen, how could he inflict harm on Belen knowing that he’s alone and unarmed?” “Sabi nila, nakainom siya, bakit hindi na nila nilapitan? Hindi na nila tinanong, all of us know that Madam Belen is going out with some security escorts,” he said, pointing out that “if the incident is true, that could be easily documented because today, konting deprensya eh gumagamit na sila ng camera at navideo na sana nila para may ipakita silang evidence na totoo yang sinasabi nila?”
 He said that “amay Toyota revo, luganan nen antie Lydia, Rey’s mother and older sister nen Nancy Dy, who registered it under his name but the person who paid the vehicle was Mrs. Lydia Ceralde.” “So, yung Toyota Revo eh hindi hiniram dahil ina nya ang may-ari nito,” he said, adding “these are a product of a cheap political gimmick, someone is already desperate ya gawaen da tan.” He said that after he lost the barangay elections, “school bahay lang tayo, then all of us sudden, sasabihin nila inutusan ko tao nila, and that’s unfair, also on the part of Chief of Police Caramat and the camp of Mayor Lim.” “Some enterprising, but desperate politicians were trying to capitalize on the issue and make it appear that their rivals were out to sow terrorism so that their opponents will look bad in the eyes of the public,” he said. “Akin agda patawag natan or paaresto si Rey who is an engineer by profession, currently taking up law at Lyceum Universty ta pyan nakabat tayo no antoy nibaga to, and that’s exactly what we are trying to think,” he added.
 The suspect who has been in hiding after the failed attempt by city policemen to arrest him in his residence at barangay Bonuan Gueset allegedly blocked a number of times the convoy of vehicles boarded by the vice mayor and her running mate Michael Fernandez from Bonuan Boquig to barangay Lucao while the suspect was reportedly drunk.

Filing cases promptly will deter killings–Verzosa

By Mortz C. Ortigoza
LINGAYEN – The provincial police director of Pangasinan said the immediate filing of a case against suspected killers could deter other would- be killers.
Senior Supt. Mariano Luis Verzosa said he exhorted chiefs of police in the 44 towns and four cities of the province to file a case against suspects in a murder or homicide even they are not yet apprehended.
“I told them to exert more efforts to catch these suspects. Now, if a suspect denies he was involved in the killing, he should come out from hiding and clear his name,” he stressed in Filipino.
He said his “charge them first policy” would be a bane against hired killers that have snapped countless of lives.
According to Verzosa, from January to October this year, there were 199 killing incidents in the province.
He said 40 per cent of this figure is blamed to hired killers.
The 60 per cent, Verzosa cited, is related to human conflicts like grudge, land dispute, and others.
He said community organizations led by officials in the barangay, church and others can help mitigate if not prevent, crimes.
“Sabi ni General (Luizo)Ticman (former regional director in Region 1) noon ‘crime can be prevented’. Of course habang nag-uumpisa pa lang iyong animosity, problem sa family dapat na so-solve na sa barangay (level). Iyong kapitbahay nakikita niya na nag-aaway e mamamagitan na diyan para ma prevent sa pamamagitan ng wise advise (General Ticman said crime can be prevented. As the animosity brews between family members, the barangay officials should intervene immediately. If a neighbor sees squabbling among his neighbors, he should mediate by giving them a wise advice”.
Versoza said the crime solution efficiency of the Philippine National Police does not rely solely on the police but in the cooperation of the witnesses who saw the crime.
“Doon makipag-cooperate sila sa community, mag bigay ng information para mapa bilis ang kaso natin, resolution ng kaso (They witnesses should cooperate by giving information to concerned offices so the solution of the case could be expedited)”.