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Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Bislig priest hits illegal coal mining
THE campaign being waged by religious leaders, concerned citizens, and non-government organizations against excesses of the Picop Resources Inc. (PRI) in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur is not confined only to air and water pollution.
Fr. Florio R. Falcon, parish priest of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Mangagoy, said the drive against Picop encompasses many issues, including the mining of coal, which the Provincial Board of Surigao del Sur is investigating, because the company failed to secure the necessary license and permit from appropriate agencies.
Targeted is the Bislig Ventures, reportedly owned by a powerful politician in Bislig.
The protesters said they would also try to uncover the rumors that Picop is being protected by a powerful politician in the province's second district whom the communist rebels recently tagged as behind illegal logging and mining in Surigao del Sur.
In his letter to Environment Secretary Michael T. Defensor dated September 18, Fr. Falcon accused Picop of violating laws of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and of human rights against farmers, displaced workers, and also present workers of Picop.
He also furnished Defensor copies of several documents, including a copy of a position paper to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, regarding the violations of Picop in the company's Integrated Forest Management Agreement with the DENR dated June 20, 2005.
The letter said that resolutions of parishioners, board of directors of Bislig Association of Non-Government Organizations would reveal the truth about DENR men and women in the field who do not uphold justice for the poor displaced workers and those who do not bother checking Picop of their rampant violations of DENR laws and regulations.
In 2002, parishioners in an earlier petition had asked Defensor to enjoin Picop to install air and water pollution devices as required by law.
In the same petition, they had also required DENR-LGUs, NGOs, and religious organizations representatives to conduct joint regular inspection on the operations of Picop.
The other requests of the parishioners include facilitating stewardship contract to farmers occupying Picop concession area and enjoining Picop management to pay the wages of all the terminated workers and pay their taxes to the government.
Fr. Falcon charged that the environment secretary had not answered his follow-up letter dated September l8, 2005 up to now.
Meanehile, he said, Picop continued to cut and log trees outside its annual operation plan.
Fr. Falcon said Picop had also failed to pay forest charges amounting to more than P300 million.
It also failed to pay customs duties for its importation of dutiable items, the parish priest said.
He said he would file a mandamus case in Court to require Bureau of Customs in the subport of Bislig to disclose to the public its collections on Picop's import duties.(With report from Mohammad Calansingin)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (December 7, 2005 issue)
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