Tuesday, November 20, 2007 CPPO task force secure oil drill site in Tañon
TASK Group Ipil-ipil, which has been assigned to oversee the security of the oil drilling project in Pinamungajan town, southern Cebu has been deployed since Saturday.
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria has designated Insp. Wilbert Parilla as head of the task group.
Parilla is deputy of the Provincial Mobile Group and a team from the unit comprises the task group.
Valmoria said he met with officials of Japan Exploration Ltd. (Japex) last Friday, along with representatives of other agencies that form the task group.
Aside from units of the CPPO, they also have members from the Philippine Navy, Regional Maritime Office and the Regional Mobile Group forming the task group.
Police stations
While the structures for the outposts have not yet been constructed, Valmoria said the members of the task group are temporarily at the police stations of Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan towns.
Valmoria earlier said the task group was created to maintain peace and order, saying there were some sectors opposed to the project.
He added there were some militant groups who were taking advantage of the situation and that the task group was placed there to anticipate any peace and order problems that may arise.
Livelihood
Fisher folk have held rallies to express their opposition to the project, claiming their livelihood was affected by the drilling.
They said their fishing nets get snared by Japex anchors and that the sound of the drilling and vibrations drive all the fish away.
Japex, though, has offered a sack of rice for each fisherman for two months.
However, only those registered were given rice. (MEA)
