THE FLOIRENDO-OWNED Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco) is mulling on filing charges against members of a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) team for destroying the steel swing beam installed at the entrance of the farm road located in the town of Braulio E. Dujali in Davao del Norte.

“We are looking at the possibility of filing cases against the individuals involved in that team that went there and destroyed our private property,” Alexander N. Valoria, Tadeco president and chief executive officer, said in press conference on Wednesday, March 7, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City.

Tadeco Legal Officer Nicholas A. Baña said the individuals involved were from the DPWH-District Engineer’s Office of Davao del Norte led by Engr. Noel C. Basañes and Edwin Jubahid, who is connected to the Office of House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez.

The team were supposedly conducting a survey of the Davao Penal Colony (DAPECOL) beginning Monday.

In a statement, the company, the country’s biggest banana exporter, said the swing beam is used only to help in the flow of traffic going through the tire dip, which is part of the government-required quarantine measures for the banana plantation.

The DAPECOL inspection, according to Tadeco, was ordered by the House committee on good governance and public accountability chaired by Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel to conduct an inventory of public roads and infrastructure projects.

However, “instead of the inspection and inventory… the DPWH and Edwin Jubahib unlawfully ordered their people to forcibly remove the steel swing beam of Tadeco’s quarantine facility, resulting in the damage of property. The act was made with deceit and evident bad faith, and purely designed to harass Tadeco,” the company said.

“We are looking at the measures on how to prevent this from happening again. If they want to come and conduct a survey, they should just give us prior advise, but with respect to the incident last Monday, we will hold those people accountable,” Mr. Valoria said.

The House committee has been conducting an inquiry on the contract between Tadeco and the Bureau of Corrections, which is in charge of DAPECOL and owns the land where the facility is located. Charges have also been filed against Davao del Norte 2^nd District Rep. Antonio R. Floirendo, Jr., who is a member of the family that owns Tadeco. — Maya M. Padillo

WHISTLE-BLOWERS have come forward with new information on the alleged Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 anomalies as the office of the Solicitor-General (Sol-Gen)readies the documentary evidence for the filing of new cases against former transport officials, Malacañang said on Wednesday, March 7.

“[I]n fairness, ngayon lang   isa-isang lumalabas ang mga whistle-blowers at dahil lumalabas na ang mga whistle-blowers at saka kinukumpleto ngayon ang mga documentary evidence, sang-ayon na rin sa mga testimonya ng whistle-blowers mukhang magkakaroon ng linaw kung paano talaga pinagpiyestahan ang MRT na naging dahilan ng paghihirap   ng ating mga mananakay ngayon (it is only now that whistle-blowers have come forward, and since they are coming forward while documentary evidence are being completed, it seems that this would shed light on how [the former officials] feasted on the MRT-3 affecting our commuters),” Mr. Roque said in an interview with DWFM.

Asked when the charges would likely be filed, Mr. Roque said the cases are being fast-tracked, including the testimonial evidence from the whistle-blowers

He narrated that an alleged “Pangasinan Group,” according to the informants, pocketed one-third of the total contract price for the MRT-3 maintenance project, another third for political machinery, and only the remaining one-third was actually spent for the transport system.

The spokesman announced last Tuesday that President Rodrigo R. Duterte, during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, has asked Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida to “look further into” the cases that could be filed against former officials under former President Benigno S. C. Aquino III, including Manuel A. Roxas II and Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, former heads of the then Department of Transportation and Communications.

In November last year, the now Department of Transportation (DoTr) filed a plunder complaint against Messrs. Roxas and Abaya, along with other Cabinet officials of the Aquino administration, over the allegedly “anomalous” P3.8-million MRT maintenance contract of the government with Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI).

In the same month, the DoTr terminated its contract with BURI as the MRT-3’s maintenance provider, citing its failure to perform its obligations and procure spare parts. — Arjay L. Balinbin

By Louine Hope U. Conserva, Correspondent

THE Western Visayas office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced on Wednesday, March 7, that it is ready to provide assistance to workers affected by the ongoing assessment of environmental violations in Boracay Island and the possible temporary closure of the popular tourist destination.

DoLE-Western Visayas Information Officer Amy Judicpa said they are anticipating an increase in the number of unemployed individuals in the region following the Boracay shake-up.

The business group Boracay Foundation, Inc. has said that more 90,000 workers are in danger of being displaced if the national government decides to shut down the island, the country’s leading tourism site.

On the other hand, data from the local government unit of Malay showed that there are more than 17,000 registered workers in Boracay.

“There are a lot of workers in Boracay that is why we have these interventions to answer the problem on unemployment,” Ms. Judicpa said.

DoLE’s program includes livelihood assistance and employment facilitation.

Individual beneficiaries can get a maximum of P20,000 in livelihood aid, while groups can get a capital fund of up to P1 million.

Mr. Judicpa said they have also partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for skills enhancement trainings.

DoLE will also conduct a job fair in partnership with the Department of Tourism to facilitate the employment of the displaced workers.

Based on Philippine Statistics Authority data, the unemployment rate in the region rose to 5.6% in October 2017 from 3.2% in the same period the previous year.

CLOSURE
Meanwhile, Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III on Wednesday, March 7, expressed support to the government’s plan to temporarily close Boracay to tourists for rehabilitation.

“It is only logical to close Boracay for renovations, so to speak. We must carefully assess the damage to the local environment and take the necessary steps for clean-up. The process is more easily done and more effective if there are no tourists around,” he said in a statement.

The Senate leader added that the closure would be “good in the long run for all stakeholders.”

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)   and the Department of Tourism (DoT) are considering a 60-day total closure of Boracay from June 1 to July 31.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has also announced that he would declare a state of calamity in the tourist destination.

Sought for comment, Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources, sees no negative effect with the President’s plan.

“Maybe he wants it so that the national government can do what it has to do in Boracay,” she told reporters after the hearing of the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Asked about her family’s business interests in Boracay, Ms. Villar said there is no conflict on her part regarding the Senate investigation into Boracay’s environmental problems, saying that establishments under the Villar-led Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. (VLL) are compliant with environment laws.

“We have a very small investment in Boracay, but we are in 139 towns and cities in the Philippines. If they close in one town, it doesn’t have an effect to the company. I’m not managing in our business,” she said.

“And if they want to close it, they can close it. It won’t matter to Vista Land,” she added.

Property developer VLL, which is chaired by Ms. Villar’s husband, former Senate president Manuel B. Villar, Jr., acquired the 54-room Boracay Sands Hotel, and through its condominium arm Vista Residences, developed Costa Vista Boracay in 2016. — with Camille A. Aguinaldo

THE Department of Justice (DoJ) on Wednesday, March 7, dismissed the criminal charges against a suspected Islamic State (IS) recruiter and his Filipina partner who were supposedly apprehended last February at their apartment in Manila for possession of illegal firearms and improvised explosives. Tunisian national Fehmi Lassoued and Filipina Anabel Salipada were cleared of charges as the DoJ noted discrepancies in the Philippine National Police’s report such as the actual date and location of Mr. Lassoued’s arrest as well as the differences in the appearance of their apartment. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

THE Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, March 7, approved the nomination of several lawmakers as military officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Reserve Force. Confirmed with a rank of colonel were House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas, Senator Loren B. Legarda, and Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao. Also getting the CA thumbs-up were House Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn F. Garcia, and Reps. Joel Mayo Z. Almario (Davao Oriental, 2^nd District), Roy M. Loyola (Cavite, 5^th district), Bai Sandra A. Sema (Maguindanao, 1^st district) and Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas (Pangasinan, 6^th district). The CA also confirmed the appointment of Rene Glen O. Paje, deputy chief of staff for AFP civil military operations, to the rank of major general. Mr. Paje is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Sinagtala class of 1986. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

THE FIRST PHASE of the first convention center in Ilocos Region, located in San Fernando City, La Union, is now complete, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced yesterday. “This first convention center in the region will have a unique architectural and aesthetic design inspired by La Union province’s famous surfing destination,” DPWH Region 1 Director Ronnel M. Tan said in a statement. DPWH said funding for the second phase of the project would be included under the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA). The La Union Convention Center, a three-storey multipurpose building in a 2,000-square meter lot, is a joint project of the DPWH and the provincial government of La Union, funded under the Local Infrastructure Project Program.

TAGUM CITY, awarded as the 3^rd most competitive among component cities in 2017 by the National Competitiveness Council-Philippines, will host this year’s Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCom) in September.

The business chamber of neighboring Davao City would be assisting the Tagum chamber in organizing the annual event. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) President Arturo M. Milan, in a text message, said their group might even forego the Davao Investment Conference (Davao-ICon) this year with their hands full assisting in the MinBizCom preparations. Mr. Milan said they would direct interested ICon participants to the MinBizCom should DCCCII’s annual event does not push through.

An official of the British Chamber of Commerce-Philippines (BCCP) has said they are interested to join again in this year’s ICon after last year’s successful participation. “I am meeting up again with the Davao Chamber people because we want to return for Davao ICon… We came to Davao last year and we did a very successful trade mission,” BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson said in an interview during the Philippine National Bank (PNB) customers appreciation event in Davao City. Mr. Nelson is also a director of PNB. During the ICon 2017, BCCP had a delegation representing about 50 companies. — Maya M. Padillo

TAGUM CITY Mayor Allan L. Rellon (center) leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the P60-million first phase of the local government’s Traffic Signalization Project, intended to address the growing road congestion in the city. Seven busy junctions will be prioritized, and the project is expected to be completed by June 2018, in time for the opening of the new school year. A flyover along the national highway in the city center is also currently under construction.

ECONOMIC LOSSES due to the traffic problem in Cebu are increasing, said Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Antonio Chiu, as the implementation of road infrastructure projects is worsening the situation.

Mr. Chiu said businesses in Cebu have been incurring revenue losses due to traffic, although he could not quantify his assessment. He said because of traffic, it would take a longer time for companies to transport goods and their people, thus decreasing their efficiency. Workers are likewise affected, wasting their time stuck on the road and decreasing productivity. “There are really losses, big losses and time wasted,” the CCCI official said. He added, ”We can’t stop these (new infrastructure) projects. But the government must improve on the planning to mitigate their impact on traffic.”

Meanwhile, starting Wednesday, March 7, all southbound vehicles can no longer use the private lane beside a supermarket along F. Llamas Street. The Cebu City Traffic Office was allowed to use the private property for eight days, which lapsed yesterday. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Region 7 Project Engineer Roy dela Cruz said F. Llamas Street will not be accessible to all vehicles for three to four months. — The Freeman

See full story on https://goo.gl/1CZWb9

By Arjay L. Balinbin

MALACAÑANG will decide in the next Cabinet meeting on the National Identification (ID) system, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. said.

“Sa susunod na Cabinet meeting po baka magkaroon na ng desisyon dahil napakatagal po iyong pag-uusap tungkol diyan sa national ID system,” Mr. Roque told reporters in a televised press briefing in Palawan on Wednesday, March 7.

(In the next Cabinet meeting, there might be a decision because this has been a longstanding discussion about the national ID system.)

In December last year, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, chairperson of the Senate subcommittee on the national identification system, said the Senate is targeting to pass the proposed law by the first quarter of this year.

“So they wanted really to find out what the final legislative output will be before a decision could be made,” Mr. Roque said in a press briefing last Tuesday.

Asked whether there are initial proposals, Mr. Roque said: “Well, ang proposal lang is kinakailangan ba smart ID o hindi. So may mga ganoon — kailangan ba multipurpose na iyong ID o talagang just for purposes of identification?” (Well, the only proposal is whether the ID should be a smart ID or not, or whether it should be a multipurpose ID or just for purposes of identification.)

Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, in a press statement in January, said the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA) includes an allocation for the implementation of the National ID System.

“P2.0 billion is…earmarked for the implementation of the National ID System. The said allocation is within the budget of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and will ensure that public resources are delivered to their intended beneficiaries. The National ID system will limit leakages in the delivery of social services programs, particularly the cash transfer programs of the government,” the budget secretary said.

By Arjay L. Balinbin

SHOWING yellow flowers to his audience in Tarlac province on Wednesday, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said: “I mean no insult. This color, I hope after the elections… it’s over.”

Mr. Duterte was in Tarlac for the 145th founding anniversary and 2nd  Kanlahi Festival of the province, widely known to be the bailiwick of the Aquinos.

The President did not mind asking the audience to accept the Ilocanos’ wish to consider the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos “as a hero.”

“Otherwise, half of Ilocandia, magdamdam ‘yan (will take offense), and it will continue to divide the country. So ‘yung (the) yellow, wala,” he said, and he threw away the yellow flowers he was holding.

He noted that the “only one” supporting him in Luzon is Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos, the late dictator’s daughter who now serves as governor of Ilocos Norte and is considering a senatorial candidacy.

Mr. Duterte likewise talked anew about drugs, oligarchy, and other themes.

“Wealthy people, watch out, cocaine is coming in very fast. The cartel from Mexico and South America has come in, so we are dealing now with cocaine and shabu,” the President warned.

Despite the complaint at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mr. Duterte said his war against illegal drugs will not stop.

“Wala akong pakialam sa kanila…(I do not care about them),” he said, adding: “Hindi ko pinapapatay ‘yung mahirap, ang pinapatay kong mahirap, yung criminal (I do not order the killing of the poor. The poor ones that I ordered killed are criminals).”

“That ICC will never ever ever ever acquire jurisdiction over my person,” he stressed.

The President also mentioned former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog whom he had tagged as a narco-politician. “I have been looking for him. Hindi na siya umuwi kasi papatayin ko talaga siya (He has not returned home, because I will really kill him).”

Remembering the Philippines after the 1986 EDSA uprising, the President took swipe at the Lopez family.

“Remember the Lopez groups before, right after the EDSA. They borrowed about P7-8 billion from DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines).”

“Then they dissolved the corporations, ang utang nila (and their loans), so the GDP dived. It was condoned. And if that’s not economic sabotage, what is it?” he added.

He likewise warned the businessmen and local officials in Boracay, saying, “Don’t make it hard for me…It is our interest to preserve its pristine state, just like before.”

“They do not want to cooperate, and they begin to protest. I will arrest you all. If you put up a fight, I’ll arrest you for sedition, preventing the government for doing what is good for the Filipino people.”

The President  said on Tuesday he would declare a state of calamity in Boracay, and he also cautioned the courts “not to interfere by issuing a TRO (Temporary Restraining Order).”

“[Y]ou would just exacerbate the situation; and, worse, I might not believe you,” he said.

As for his bank records, Mr. Duterte said he will allow the newly formed Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to look into his accounts.

“Kayo (PACC), anytime, I will give you the authority. Honestly. If it exceeds P40 million, kasali na ang (including my) inheritance ko noon,  I will step down,” he said.