Mis.OR. Board Tackles Log Ban Proposal Today

Mis.OR. Board Tackles Log Ban Proposal Today

By LITO RULONA and JIGGER JERUSALEM - Correspondents Updated January 25, 2010 12:00 AM


MISAMIS Oriental legislators would tackle today Vice Gov. Norris Babiera’s proposal for a province-wide logging ban.

The provincial board’s committee on environment has sent out notices to stakeholders for a meeting at the capitol today.

Among those invited are Gingoog city hall officials led by Mayor Ruthie Guingona, the environment department officials, Fathers Roger Gabac and Jose Cabantan and representative of the Legal Rights Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan and Higaonon Tribal Community based in Eureka and Kalipay in Gingoog City and Barangay Minalwang in Claveria.

Also invited are executives of Asian Pacific Timber and Plywood Corp. and its sister company Southwoods Timber Corp., and wood processors in different towns.

Today’s meeting would be presided by provincial board member Benedict Lagbas.

“We need a total log ban but it has to undergo a process that would involve all sectors,” said Babiera.

In another development, the local Roman Catholic archdiocese has sought government protection for the family of murdered anti-logging activist and Higaonon leader Alberto Pinagawa.

Pinagawa was shot to death by an armed group in eastern Misamis Oriental a day before Christmas.

Fr. Jose Cabantan, chair of the Archdiocese’s Social Action Center (SAC), said church officials have asked the 4th Infantry Division to assign militiamen to proterct the Pinagawas.

Cabantan said Pinagawa’s widow Genara and some of her children were forced to relocate from Claveria to Kalipay in Gingoog City right after Pinagawa’s killing.

Genara sought the help of Cabantan because of threats. She claimed they were being shadowed by still unidentified men.

Cabantan also said that he was unconvinced that Pinagawa was murdered due to a land dispute and not because of his advocacy against logging operations. The claim was made by Senior Supt. Alberto Patrimonio, former Misamis Oriental police director, during a provincial board session last Jan. 11.

Cabantan said Pinagawa’s family and close friends have maintained that the killing was logging-related.

http://goldstardailynews.com/content.php?id=9218