Friday, November 23, 2007 ATO slammed for allowing spray planes to operate By Grace L. Plata
A NON-government organization that campaigned strongly for the banning of aerial spraying in Davao City condemned the move of the Air Transportation Office (ATO) to lift the order grounding spray planes in Mindanao and Visayas.
The lifting of the ban came after the recent collision of two chemical spray planes in a banana plantation in Davao del Norte that resulted in the death of 57-year-old Captain Quirico Dumo Cajucom.
Lia Jasmin Esquillo, executive director of Interface Development Interventions (Idis), said in a telephone interview that the sudden lifting, which happened even in the absence of proper investigation of the incident in Kapalong, Davao del Norte last Monday, showed the extent of the influence of banana plantations.
"It is sad that an authority such as ATO has succumbed to the weak claim that grounding of aerial spray planes will result in the demise of the banana industry. The grounding was lifted even before the completion of the investigation just because an ATO official thinks it is bad for the industry? That's simply unreasonable," Esquillo said.
No complete probe
Esquillo expressed dismay over how ATO officials can easily lift the grounding order even in the absence of a complete investigation on the accident.
"To declare that the agricultural industry will be affected with the ATO grounding doesn't make sense, especially if it comes from someone who doesn't really know the issue? And what have become of ATO officials now? Spokespersons of the banana industry?" Esquillo said.
"What we are hearing now are public officials mouthing the same alibi that the banana executives have been articulating all these time as they defend their business interests. That the banana industry will face its end if aerial spraying is stopped is nothing but an attempt to threaten the government and the people who rely on the industry for a living," Esquillo added.
Esquillo said an investigation must be conducted on the operations of aerial spray planes especially as the Monday incident was the third case this year. While the investigation is being done, Esquillo said, it would be better to ground the planes.
The lift order was allegedly released after Frederick San Felix, general manager of the Davao International Airport, admitted having lobbied with the national office for the lifting of the grounding imposed after the Monday incident in Mabini, Kapalong.
San Felix said he worked the matter out with Manila because the grounding has "economic repercussions."
After the incident, Col. Jose Sablan, chair of the ATO Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, issued the grounding of all aerial spray planes in Mindanao and Visayas.
Ridiculous
"We were happy that the grounding was issued but to lift it immediately without investigation is both alarming and ridiculous as it endangers people's lives. In fact, we would really desire for all spray planes to be banned from flying altogether so the poisoning of the people and the environment will also be stopped," Esquillo said.
Esquillo said the collision of the two spray planes should be good enough reason for authorities to really be alarmed on the use of the planes in the application of chemicals.
Esquillo said accidents involving aerial spray planes do not only bring threat to the pilots but also to the people living inside and close to the banana plantations.
"Imagine these aircrafts, carrying volumes of deadly chemicals, colliding with each other - what will happen to the chemicals that they are carrying? Naturally, the chemicals will spill over and reach the people living inside and close to the plantations," Esquillo.
Only aerial spray planes in the Davao provinces and other regions nationwide, however, are allowed to fly again. The aerial spray ban still stands within Davao City in compliance with the Aerial Spray Ban ordinance passed by the City Government and confirmed legal and binding by the Regional Trial Court Branch 11.
This is true even if a case questioning its constitutionality is still pending with the Court of Appeals.
