Llamas' enemies

Well, here’s the inside story on what is said to be a demolition job on Ronald Llamas, as culled from sources within the administration, who say that at least two groups from the past administration are targeting the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs.

Those from the first group, according to current administration insiders, are from direct allies of the embattled Arroyos who perceive Llamas to be behind the government’s decision to bar former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s trip abroad and to actively pursue the cases filed against her, her family and other officials during her administration.

According to these sources, Llamas was one of the key personalities involved in advising the hard line stance of the administration not to allow GMA to leave for abroad and escape prosecution.  

In fact, prior to the start of the impeachment trial, several text blasts were received, saying that Llamas was the prime mover in the impeachment campaign against Chief Justice Renato Corona and that this was tied to his end goal of causing a constitutional crisis.

The second group is said to be composed of influential personalities within the military establishment who were implicated in the “pabaon” scandal that had been exposed by retired Col. George Rabusa.

Information from the grapevine also confirmed that at the height of the controversy revolving around his purchasing of pirated DVDs at a shopping mall, Llamas kept quiet, but those in the know said he actually talked to P-Noy and offered to resign right then and there, except that the offer was rejected by the President, making it very clear that Llamas is more an asset than a liability in the overall campaign against corruption.

One thing sure is that Llamas has made some very powerful enemies as one of the primary implementers of P-Noy’s anti-corruption campaign. He should watch his back because his enemies would not stop at just making a mountain from a molehill from the DVD issue.    

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I can not fathom — or should I? — why anti-mining advocates are holding conferences on mining without asking representatives of the minerals development industry to be present and present their views on mining. The action of such conference organizers is deplorable. They’re the ones who want to stop mining operations in the country and do not listen to, or allow members of the industry to state the benefits of mining to the Philippine economy and the people.

Last Jan. 27, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) paid for a full-page ad in a national broadsheet, expressing regret over the exclusion of representatives from the country’s mining industry from participating in an international conference on mining in Mindanao. The conference was sponsored by the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP). COMP had written a letter to AdDU president Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ, for its members to be allowed to attend the conference. Not a pip was heard from the good father.

The COMP ad noted with particular interest the participation of Dr. Catherine Coumans, Dr. Robert Gooland, and Clive Wicks as guest speakers. The three foreigners are known “for their staunch opposition to mining in the Philippines through their works based on perfunctory visits to mine sites in the country and on extensive consultation with anti-mining organizations – without due diligence and verification with firms these speakers have accused of wrongdoings.”

 “It is regrettable that AdDU has granted to Dr. Goodland the opportunity to discuss ‘The Tampakan Copper-Gold Project in South Cotabato’ while depriving the same opportunity to Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI), the project operator, despite the firm’s repeated requests, also addressed to Fr. Tabora, to be allowed to present the Environmental Assessment Findings of the Project.”

“It has thus become clear that the International Conference on Mining in Mindanao was organized with the end in view of stopping mining all over the country. Undoubtedly, the conference organizers will echo the call of the Ateneo School of Government (held last November) for a blanket moratorium on mining based on a report described by former AdDU president Fr. Emeterio Barcelon, SJ as prime tower theorizing on the mining industry,” COMP said.

“The real worldview on mining can be best expressed by those who have global perspectives on internationally traded mineral commodities; those who have actual experience in the mines and those who brave the remotest oftentimes security-challenged and poverty-stricken rural areas to develop and create wealth out of our country’s mineral resources – all the while striving to mitigate the impact of their operations on the environment and contributing to the socio-economic progress of communities through jobs, livelihood, education, health and sanitation, and infrastructure.”

The ad expressed COMP’s commitment “to bridge the information gap and to correct misconceptions brought about by the concerted campaign against legitimate large-scale mining. We will sustain our advocacy for responsible minerals development as well as our efforts to operate within the parameters of Responsible Mining: Economic Growth, Environmental Protection, Social Equity, and Good Governance.”

I can only say that the so-called international mining conference has helped discourage the inflow of investments into the country.

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This columnist was one of media persons invited by the Silliman University Cultural Affairs Committee to attend the celebration of its 50 years of existence. During the time I was in Dumaguete City, I had the opportunity to talk with Rep. Joselyn S. Limkaichong of the first district of Negros Oriental. Josy, mayor of the municipality of Libertad before she was elected to Congress (she is currently serving her second term) has introduced various measures to improve the plight of her constituents.

 These include the provision of potable water systems in 96 barangays in the entire district and conduction of a total of 197 medical missions (dental and over-all health check-ups, cataract operations, cleft palate and circumcisions), benefiting 152,435. She institutionalized “Friendship Day,” a unique weekly therapy, treatment and rehabilitation program for mentally-challenged and ill constituents, and, installed 42 botika ng barangays in far-flung barangays. She provided P5 million for a coconut planting/replanting project, and free legal assistance and representation to poor constituents through a memorandum of understanding with the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development of Silliman University.

Two important bills she authored seek to restructure the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products (now pending before the Committee on Ways and Means), and the exemption from the Value Added Tax the importation of donated articles of goods which are solely for charitable, humanitarian and relief similar purposes. She is co-author of an act providing for a Magna Carta for the Poor, which is pending before the Committee on Poverty Alleviation.

Josy is vice president for Visayas of the ruling Liberal Party. A certified public accountant, she was a successful businesswoman before she entered public service. She obtained her BS in commerce from De La Salle University, Manila, with honors. She is the first recipient of the 2012 National Bayanihan Award given by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for “significantly contributing to the success of AFP’s security plan.”

About the rumor that she is being groomed for the governorship of the province in the 2013 election, Josy smiled. “I am a hands-on person. I will perform conscientiously whatever job is offered to me, or what the people want me to do.”

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