THE world famous Palawan is with all certainty a paradise for which global organizations have cited the province located at the western part of the archipelago as one of the best places to go – but not for long, claims an indigenous group amid what they described as an aggressive destruction of Palawan’s virgin forest.
According to Datu Kasaligan in his capacity as representative of the Indigenous Cultural Communities, they have already filed a formal complaints against Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga for enabling the alleged illegal operation of Ipilan Nickel Mining in despite opposition of the IPs from Barongbarong, Ipilan, Calasaguen, Aribungos, Maasin, and Mambalot in Brooke’s Point.
The mining company is owned by Joseph Sy, chairman of Global Ferronickel Holdings (FNI).
Among the charges filed against Yulo before the Office of the Ombudsman included violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and RA 6173 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials). To date, cases filed against Yulo have been piling dust at the Office of the Ombudsman But wait, there’s more proof that Palawan has indeed become DENR’s apple of the eye.
Four to five hours (via ferry boat) away from Brooke’s Point are the towns of Coron and Busuanga where the 40-hectare Yulo King Ranch stands tall. So what’s with the Yulo King Ranch, anyway?
There’s a brewing tension in the area being claimed by no less than the family of DENR Sec. Yulo.
Farmers hinted at pressing another case against Sec. Yulo-Loyzaga for conflict of interest in view of dual roles – one, as the court-appointed executor of the Yulo King Ranch (YKR) Corporation and two, as DENR chief.
According to Orly Marcellana, spokesperson for peasant group Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (KASAMA-TK), Yulo’s dual role manifests ethical violations for which she should resign – or face the congressional investigation as proposed by the minority bloc at the House of Representatives.
In a recently published article, an unnamed career official of the DENR, accused Sec. Yulo-Loyzaga of openly defying the President’s directive for government agency’s to turn over government-owned and unclassified public lands that are suitable for agriculture or no longer serve its original purpose are turned over to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) so that the government could distribute more lands to the farmers.
The logic behind the directive is to romp up local food production so that the country would depend less on importation.
However, Yulo doesn’t seem to like the idea especially if it involves the family estate.
There’s a solution to all these problems in Palawan – either Yulo steps down for the sake of delicadeza, or perhaps the President should seriously consider firing Yulo.
That is if her wife Liza Araneta would allow him to do so.
