Aurora ecozone exec scores attack on priest

AURORA SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE , Philippines  – The chairman/administrator of the economic zone in Casiguran town yesterday denounced last Saturday’s gun attack on the parish house of an activist-priest perceived to be a vocal critic of the ecozone even as he has ordered an investigation into the incident.

Vitaliano Sabalo Jr., Aurora Pacific Economic Zone chairman/administrator, APECO said in a press statement that while the management of the ecozone is not on the same page as the oppositors of the project, it does not in any way countenance any illegal actions against perceived anti-Apeco groups, much less abet acts of violence against them.

“While we are pushing for the full development of Apeco as the primary growth-driver for Aurora, we condemn in the strongest terms this attack on the parish convent of one of the ecozone oppositors. This dastardly act has no place in a civilized society such as ours, which we find reprehensible,” he said.

Sabalo was referring to last Saturday’s incident when armed men hurled a grenade and fired at the parish house of Fr. Jose Francisco Talaban, parish priest of the Nuestra Señora de la Salvacion in Barangay Bianoan, Casiguran.

Talaban was unhurt when the armed men carried out the attack. The gunmen left plastic laminated pamphlets supposedly issued by the Aniban ng Ayaw sa Komunista, an anti-communist group. It asked Talaban to pack and leave because he was “sowing disunity” in the town.

Sabalo issued the statement in reaction to an earlier pronouncement of Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona, head of the Prelature of Infanta that covers Aurora, that he was certain the attack was related to the anti-Apeco campaign of farmers, fishermen and Dumagats whom Talaban supported.