Witness almost thrown out of CA hearing

The committee on environment and natural resources of the Commission on Appointments almost threw out a witness yesterday for getting too personal in his opposition against the confirmation of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Heherson Alvarez III.

Witness Roger Patanao drew the ire of the committee for not addressing the chair and for alternately referring to Alvarez as "Sonny," "Alvarez," "that guy who wants to be DENR secretary" and "one who cannot be called honorable."

Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo asked the committee to strike off the record all unsavory statements or those which tended to impugn the integrity of Alvarez.

"Whether we like it or not, Secretary Alvarez is the alter ego of President Arroyo and deserving of our respect," Romualdo said.

Romualdo’s motion was supported by Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar who was presiding in the absence of Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez and Iloilo Rep. Narciso Monfort Jr.

Patanao apologized after that admonition, but got another warning when he aired criticisms of Alvarez on issues that were not contained in his affidavit.

When Patanao apologized anew, Del Mar said that the committee is accepting the second apology but another infraction would end his testimony and the committee would merely rely on Patanao’s submitted affidavit.

Alvarez, who was listening silently and emotionless during Patanao’s testimony later said: "I don’t know why he is calling me Sonny. That is what friends call me and he has been very unfriendly."

Patanao questioned Alvarez’s approval of five Integrated Forestry Management Agreements (IFMAs) covering 120,000 hectares in the Caraga region, saying the five corporations granted the contract were mere dummy corporations organized to go around the law limiting each corporation to 40,000 hectares.

Martinez, however, noted that Patanao did not submit any evidence to substantiate his charges on the "dummy corporations."

"Without any substantiation, the committee will treat that statement as a mere allegation," said Martinez, who was a prosecutor in the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.

Patanao’s charges on the IFMA against Alvarez were echoed by a Banuaon tribesman, Necasio Precioso, who claimed that Alvarez approved the IFMAs without consultations with indigenous communities.

Precioso claimed that the IFMA would destroy the forests and the Banuaons could not survive without the forests.

Alvarez refuted the charges, saying the area of Precioso is 20 kilometers away from the IFMA project area.

"All leaders of indigenous communities in the project area were consulted. Neither Precioso nor Patanao was recognized as spokesman for the indigenous peoples. Patanao was claiming to be a sultan but he was not a member of any tribe and he is not recognized by any tribe," Alvarez added.

The committee also heard representatives of the DENR Employees Union who charged that Alvarez was a union buster and had committed graft and corruption by spending P1.7 million for the construction of a garden.

Alvarez countered that his hands were tied by a collective negotiating agreement with DENREU because of directives from the Civil Service Commission and Malacañang.

"The employees are asking for P1 billion in benefits while DENR has a budget of only P5 billion!" he exclaimed.

He also noted that the employees are questioning the P1.7-million garden but were silent on the P4.7-million garden built by his predecessor.

He said that the project was conceptualized by noted artist Gerry Araos, and that it was approved by the Commission on Audit.

The committee is expected to conduct one more hearing on Alvarez before winding up.