20T Signatures vs Gingoog logging

20T signatures vs Gingoog logging


Tuesday, January 12, 2010
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/20t-signatures-vs-gingoog-logging


ENVIRONMENTAL groups presented Monday some 20,000 signatures of individuals opposing the logging operations in Gingoog City, and called for justice in the killing of an anti-illegal logging advocate last Christmas Eve.


Genera Pinagawa believes that the killing of her husband Alberto last December 24 was linked to the logging activities in Gingoog, which the latter had fought against.


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"I demand justice for my husband. I believe he was killed because of his advocacy," said Genera.


Alberto was ambushed by still unidentified assailants while on his way home in Barangay Kalipayan, Gingoog City, to celebrate Christmas with his family. He sustained 20 gunshot wounds, causing his immediate death.


Carl Cesar Rebuta of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth (LRC-KSK/FOE) described Alberto "Ka Berting" Pinagawa as a "staunch advocate against illegal logging activities."


Prior to his death, Pinagawa had organized his community to actively campaign against the operations of the Southwood Timber Corporation (STC), which has an existing Integrated Forest Management Agreement (Ifma) license.


STC's Ifma allows it to cut trees on 11,476 hectares of land in Gingoog City and a portion of the neighboring Claveria town.


But Rebuta said the Ifma permit issued to STC was illegal because the Minalwang Higaonon Trribal Council (Mihitrici)-holder of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) within Minalwangan area-did not issue their community consent through Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process as preserve by Ipra.


He said the natives "non-consent" was certified by National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in Region X (NCIP-X). The area in Barangay Minalwang covers some 8,000 hectares.


STC's Ifma issued on May 23, 2008 following an endorsement by the City Council of Gingoog on December 2007.


The City Council took that endorsement back last December 28, this time with an accompanying resolution calling for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cancel STC's Ifma license.


Rebuta said the 20,000 signatures will be endorsed to the DENR for action. (ALR)




Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 12, 2010.