In Tanjay CITY, Degamo meets w/ stakeholders on "mining" row

CEBU, Philippines - Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo meets today with officials of various government agencies and other stakeholders to discuss possible ways for a win-win solution to the ongoing conflict in the alleged "black sand mining" operations at the dredging project in Barangay Tambacan in Tanjay City.

Expected to be present during the meeting are the police, the DENR, barangay officials and other stakeholders.

Degamo first went to Tanjay City Monday morning to meet with residents of Tambacan and other supporters and sympathizers opposing what they believed is black sand mining operation in their barangay, allegedly under the guise of a dredging project.

The governor, accompanied by Tanjay City Administrator Richard Enojo, met with the village chief and the protesters at the barangay hall and in the presence of Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, headed by OIC director Sr. Supt. Alet Virtucio.

The dredging project, undertaken by contractor Sino-Italy Philippines, has been intended to avert future flooding but public clamor to stop the alleged black sand mining has escalated over the past week after irate residents put up barricades at the road leading to the project site, saying the contractor violated an order from Degamo.

During his dialogue with the protesters, Degamo explained that, for as long as Sino-Italy fails to present a dredging permit for the Tanjay River, the cease and desist order that he issued weeks ago will remain in effect. He had repeatedly warned that he will not hesitate to bring to court any violators of the order.

The governor however called on the people to stay calm as he explained the role of the police in the ongoing controversy at Tambacan, and that is to remain neutral with the primary role of maintaining peace and order.

Virtucio said, during the dialogue, that while the police stay in the middle of the warring sides, they have to do their jobs and will not hesitate to enforce the law and make arrests.

"If we do not respond to any request for assistance, we are accused of dereliction of duty. And if we do respond, we are also accused of being biased," Virtucio lamented.

Earlier, the protesters accused the Tanjay City Police of being "biased," taking orders from Mayor Lawrence Teves, who ordered to dismantle the barricades because these were illegal, considering that the barricaded road leading to the project site belongs to the LGU after it was donated by its owners.

Some claimants however disputed this issue of land ownership, saying they have papers to prove that they owned the property in question. The mayor countered that this issue should be settled through the court.

Virtucio also disclosed that an agreement reached during Monday's dialogue was that in the event that the contractor would operate despite the governor's cease-and-desist order, the police should be allowed to pass through the road being barricaded by the protesters to reach the project site.

Teves, meanwhile, stood firm on his pronouncement that the project the city government entered into with Sino-Italy is for the dredging of the Tanjay River and not black sand mining as alleged by the opposing group.

Any minerals derived from the extracted materials in the dredging project, specifically black sand or magnetite, will go to the contractor as "payment" for the project, which the city government could not afford, the Tanjay City official added. — (FREEMAN)