Kim’s Dream Orlan Ravanera
Illegal Logging & Illegal Mining: Crimes Against Life Itself
The Order from the Court of Appeals is clear and categorical, “THAT IT IS THE AIM AND GOALS OF ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED THAT THE IPONAN RIVER AND ITS WATERSHED BE PROTECTED FROM ANY ILEGAL ACTIVITIES THAT WILL DESTROY ITS NATURAL BEAUTY AND RESOURCES.” In response to that order, the DENR, the MGB, the EMB, DILG, 4 TH ID, PNB, NBI, BI, LGUs of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Misamis Oriental and SULOG, One Sendong is Enough came-up with a Memorandum of Agreement on Feb. 28, 2013. The Agreement focused on three main areas: First, to stop all forms of illegal activities and regain back the rule of law; Second, information campaign and advocacy; and Third, To rehabilitate and restore ecological integrity through environmental protection and conservation. Thus, since then, all of these parameters of engagement have been put to mention by the MOA Signatories who are meeting regularly presided by Sulog Chairman.
Stopping illegal logging and mining is not an easy task. The gravity of illegal activities can be likened to an iceberg- 1/10 seen, 9/10 unseen. While so many backhoes and barges costing by the tens of millions are seen that are heavily damaging the ecosystems, the owners of these are not known. Why were there Chinese and Korean nationals doing illegal mining? Why did they have ECCs and permits? Who issued these? Why did they carry high-powered guns? Were these licensed? How deep is the participation of some influential people?
Some of these information were divulged to us by Datu Fausto Orasan also called Datu Sandigan, a tribal Datu who is a member of SULOG. He was a fearless and highly committed tribal leader whose passion was to stop illegal mining. To those who cannot moderate their greed, he was a threat, so he must be killed. Thus, on that fatal day of September 13, 2014, he was shot at the back while riding a motorcycle in the uplands of Cagayan de Oro while monitoring illegal mining activities.
Datu Sandigan was a civilian volunteer, an intrepid fighter of “Magbabaya” to protect His vanishing creation. He got finally killed after eight attempts to his life. After the seventh attempt, which left him unscathed, I told him jokingly to share with me his “anting-anting.” During his vigil, his tribal colleagues jokingly said that he got killed this time because he gave his “anting-anting” to me. The brutal death of this courageous environmental comrade has not cowed us at all. We too are willing to die for Mother Earth, with our firm belief that protecting God’s creation is the highest form of worship now. In memory of this gallant environmental warrior, the MOA Signatories came up with a decisive move to put up the Datu Sandigan Checkpoint and established the Kinaiyahan task force, leaving no “stone unturned” to pursue the rule of law to the hilt. The task force is headed by the CLENRO himself, Mr. Edwin Dael, the MGB headed by my high school classmate, Dir. Rex Monsanto ably assisted by Engineer Romy Tidadul and the gallant men from the AFP and PNP.
The cessation of all illegal activities has given way to the rehabilitation process and the grand plan to provide livelihood to those who were dependent on mining and logging. This is the next step on the mission to sustain the cleaning and greening of Iponan river.
We now call on all sectors to join us in this crusade, as all are stakeholders. Your participation is the best guarantee of sustainability and to be safe from ecological disasters. When we work together to regain back ecological integrity in the uplands of Cagayan de Oro, more fish will thrive in Macajalar Bay as its siltation, will be stopped, the uplands will become more productive and Cagayan de Oro will not be vulnerable to another Sendong.
With the onslaught of rampaging waters on Dec. 17,2021 causing the deaths of some 3,000 poor people and rendering some 11,000 families homeless because our ecosystems have been massively exploited due to illegal mining and illegal logging, we can therefore categorically declare that these violations of environmental laws are not just mere violations of existing laws but aptly constituted crimes of indirect murder to thousands of victims. What is now so painful is the news that the destruction of the Iponan River continues without let- up as Chinese miners are again doing massive illegal mining in Opol, in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, glaringly in cohort with influential people. Because of this wanton exploitation, thousands of fisherfolk families in Macajalar Bay are now living in hunger and extreme poverty as massive siltation by thousands, if not millions of tons of top soil have killed the grandeur of the Bay as only 5% of our coral reel and mangroves, the spawning ground of fish, remain in excellent condition. Thus, these illegal miners are guilty of depriving thousands of people in Macajalar Bay of their fishing, a great violation of their Human Right to Food. We are now shouting that JUSTICE BE DONE TILL HEAVENS FALL.
Satellite map had shown that from 37,000 hectares of forest cover 50 years ago in the uplands of Cagayan de Oro, we barely have a thousand hectares of remaining forest. From the sixties to the nineties, logging has continued without let-up, perpetuated by those whose insatiable greed had created a strong cabal of vested interest with connivance from the very people who are tasked to protect the environment. Massive non-stop illegal logging operations had been done for more than four decades by powerful six logging companies namely, Vicmar, TIPI, Remedios Fortich & Sons, Roa & Sons, Dacudao, Valderama & Sons which were supported by well-armed guards especially by another illegal logger named the late 2nd Lt. Modesto Eleazar. The DENR should be asked why these logging companies did not comply with the provision as stated in the Timber License Agreements (TLAs) on the imperative responsibility of massive replanting to replace tree in the logged areas? Furthermore, the DENR should explain why logging operations took place in the prohibited zones, i.e., no logging in forestall areas with an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above sea level. The Mt. Kalatungan & Mt. Kitanglad Ranges have an altitude of more than 2,600 meters above sea level, BAKIT NAUBOS ANG KAKAHUYAN DOON? Also, no logging in sloppy areas with more 50% gradient and the finest of trees are well protected, i.e., Red Lauan,Narra, Mahogany, & Almacega. Ubos na rin lahat because these finest of trees command higher price in the world market. In fact, in the hinterlands of Bukidnon, these loggers have put-up saw-mills amidst the oozing forest areas and no one can enter as these were well-guarded by the loggers with high powered guns. DENR PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT DID YOU DO TO IMPLEMENT THE RULE OF LAW. Don’t you know that these loggers did not just violate environmental laws but they have caused the death of thousands as what happened when rampaging waters hit the cities of Cagayan de Oro & Iligan due to Typhoon Sendong. These loggers are therefore guilty of indirect murder of thousands of people!! His Excellency, PRESBBM, we hope that due investigation be done on why the rule of law was blatantly violated which was replaced by the rule of the guns, money and power!
