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Sunday, February 06, 2005
Guv wants Santiago declared persona non grata in Surigao Sur
By Antonio M. Ajero
DAVAO CITY -- Governor Vicente T. Pimentel Jr. of Surigao del Sur said he will ask the Provincial Board to declare Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago persona non grata in the province for listing him unfairly among 43 past and incumbent governors responsible for illegal logging in 25 provinces.
Pimentel said he was dismayed at how the lady lawmaker made such an "irresponsible statement."
"For the information of the good senator, who I realize now has the maniacal tendency to get publicity mileage at the expense of other people, no illegal logging of massive proportions exists in my province," he said, claiming the "only illegal loggers in my turf are the jobless upland kaingeros and chainsaw cutters who are forced to go against the law because of their dire need to earn a living so that they may survive."
The governor who is on his third term as provincial chief executive also defended Picop Resources, Inc., and other logging companies in Surigao del Sur named by Santiago in her expose, saying that these are "far from guilty of the malicious imputation of Senator Santigao."
He said the mentioned logging companies, which have a combined concession area of about 70 percent of Surigao del Sur's forest cover, are "very responsible concessionaires. They reforest and see to it that our forests are not indiscriminately logged."
"Because of these companies' good management of our forest for more than 50 years now," Pimentel said Surigao del Sur continues to be acknowledged in our country as the province with the largest forest cover.
"If illegal logging really exists in Surigao del Sur, as what Senator Santiago wants the Filipinos to believe, our forests would have been denuded by now. With this situation, devastating floods and landslides would have occurred in my place. But such scenarios did not happen because of my careful watch on our logging concessionaires and the small-time illegal kaingeros," he said.
Claiming he had been a constant admirer of Senator Santiago since his student days, Pimentel said he felt aggrieved that "in spite of my efforts to maintain our lush and green forest, Senator Santiago would have the gall to attribute to me that I am a coddler of illegal loggers."
"This country does not deserve an irresponsible lawmaker who is quick to accuse well-meaning people," he said.
He suggested that the senator consult a doctor to have her "overflowing hormones" checked.
Pimentel said: "What a waste of support that I gave you when you ran for senator in the last elections. I really regret it." (With reports from Bert Pacate from Tandag, Surigao del Sur)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here.
(February 6, 2005 issue)
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