Thursday, November 08, 2007 (Philippines)

Produced in court but not released. The arrest and detention of Ricardo Belamea, alleged rebel leader in mid-north Cebu, is questioned by his lawyer Noel Archival. The court denied the petion for a writ of habeas corpus.(Sun.star photo/Allan Defensor) DESPITE the objections of several sectors, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Angelo Reyes announced the oil and gas exploration in Tañon Strait will begin on Nov. 15. In a forum at the University of San Carlos (USC) yesterday, Reyes listed all the issues raised by environmentalists and academicians who want amendments of policies on exploration projects. For one, how will the project affect Tañon Strait? “Should we look at it as a protected area, or an energy development area? To the extent that the two may not be harmonized, what is our priority valuation of Tañon Strait?” asked Dr. Ben Malayang, president of Silliman University. [full story]