Rody tags miners as part of destab

Written by Tribune Wires

Tuesday, 14 March 2017 00:00 | Tribune

LACSON SAYS TRILLANES PART OF OUSTER PLOT By Ted Tuvera and Angie M. Rosales Aside from drug lords and his yellow critics, President Duterte also pinpointed mine operators “with foreign funding” as being behind a brewing plot to destabilize his administration. In a media briefing, the President lashed at owners of mining firms for allegedly conspiring with the political opposition to remove him from Malacañang. “I know that you mining (operators) are funding to destabilize me. I know that you are funding the opposite side. I do not know if the police or the military would allow it,” Mr. Duterte told reporters. “I am sure that they are very active now,” he added. Sen. also identified Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV as being part of a “clear” attempt to destabilize the Duterte administration by being behind the media tour of former police chief SP03 Arturo Lascañas who has been linking Mr. Duterte to the existence of the so-called vigilante group (DDS) and the string of summary killings in Davao City during his stint as mayor. Trillanes, who currently handles Lascañas, also organized the press conference last February 20 where the retired cop first claimed that the death squad was real. He initially denied the existence of the death squad saying that he feared for the lives of his family. “It is clear that there is a plot to destabilize the administration,” Lacson told reporters. Mr. Duterte revealed that mining firms are exerting pressure on him to give in to their demands contrary to efforts of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez who had ordered the suspension and shutdown of at least 28 major mining operations in the country. “You want me out (as President) to be replaced by somebody? That’s (the miners’) condition so that they can make me bow down to them,” he said. “I know they are active in the destabilization (plot),” the President stressed. Mr. Duterte also defended Lopez from criticisms of mining operators saying that he is willing to forego the industry’s P70 billion revenue to the government in exchange for government control over irresponsible mining operations. Revealing a folio of photos showing the effects of mining operations done by some of the firms identified by Lopez as “irresponsible”, the President said that it is hard to argue with the facts the DENR chief has presented. “Is Gina (Lopez) a liar? She’s presenting visuals. How can you argue with Gina when she shows you (proof on mining violations)?” he said, identifying operations that resulted in disastrous environmental effects particularly those in , Surigao and Benguet. “If these miners have something against me, I might summon them here in Malacañang and ask their explanation as to why they have done such damage,” the President added, saying that some of the firms are using illegal explosives in their operations. The Chief Executive, however, said he is not considering a total ban on mining operations saying that there are some who are responsible. “There is such a thing as responsible mining. If I give it to you, that will be a monopoly,” he said. Foreign groups fund destab Mr. Duterte also revealed that the other financial sources that keep destabilization efforts alive are funds coming from “drug syndicates and other financiers abroad.” The Chief Executive challenged those who are behind ouster plots to “bring it on.” “If you want to create turmoil in the government, let’s do it,” the President strongly said. Notably, one of the leaders of the opposition, the Liberal Party (LP), used to be an executive of a nickel mining firm operating in Agusan del Norte who were allegedly also financiers of the top yellow candidates in the last two presidential elections. Mr. Duterte assailed that during the campaign, defeated LP standard bearer former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas used planes of San Roque Metals, Inc. (SRMI) owner Eric Gutierrez. Also, LP political officer and City Rep. Egay Erice used to be SRMI chairman and stockholder. The President and some of his spokesmen has repeatedly accused the “yellows”, obviously referring to the LP, of plotting to oust him. Moreover, the President also received financial backing from a mining firm owner as revealed in his submitted statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec). It is noted that Mr. Duterte received P14 million from a certain Michael Regino, who turns out to be president of Agata Mining Ventures and San Agustin Mining Services Inc. that operate in Agusan del Norte. International media baffles Ping Lacson also said he found it unusual that there were more international media members attending Senate hearings compared to previous hearings where equally important issues were tackled. Trillanes denied the destabilization plot several times noting that he only wanted to expose the truth. Lacson, however, said that he is not buying Trillanes’ claim. Lacson said Trillanes went as far as bringing Lascañas from one media outlet to another just to be interviewed. “He was hopping from one TV station and radio station to another. And Senator Trillanes said, during the hearing, that not only senators but the entire Filipino community should listen (to Lascañas’ testimony),” Lacson said. “They are actually eyeing a bigger audience. Not just within the but even the international community,” he added. “What’s the goal? Just the truth? Come on, we were not born yesterday. All of a sudden your goal is just to expose the truth? For what reason, for what purpose?” Lacson said. “I know a destabilization activity when I see one. What is the aim? Why do they seem eager to prolong and extend the hearing? It’s to bring down this administration,” he added. Lacson said that he knew this because he was once part of the destabilization efforts during the term of former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “I became a part of the destablization during the past administration. It’s normal when you feel an administration is failing the Filipino people. I think it’s incumbent upon us being public officials ourselves and even a common Filipino,” he added. Kiko: no plot at all It’s not the destabilization efforts that Mr. Duterte should be worried about but it’s his appointees and his allies who are creating and causing problems within the administration. Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Liberal Party (LP) president, said to parry Mr. Duterte’s charges against the LP as being behind efforts to oust him. Pangilinan identified at least six government agencies, the Philippine National Police; Bureau of Immigration; National Food Authority; National Irrigation Administration; Tourism Promotions Board; and Department of Foreign Affairs, as creating problems for the administration. “Those are not destab but appointees of the government who are creating problems in the administration,” the senator said. Cayetano: Drug lords also in it Sen. said drug lords were also funding a destabilization plot against Mr. Duterte so that they could protect their drug trading businesses. Cayetano said that while he had no “specific” information and could not identify anybody, he knew about an alleged destabilization plot as early as during the start of the presidential campaign for the elections last May. “I do not know what specifically the drug lords are financing, what I am saying it is part of organized crime to use their money so that they can continue their business and get rid of Duterte,” Cayetano said. “Even during the campaigns, we felt it,” he added. Cayetano further said there is “pending money” to assassinate the President although he was “not at liberty” to talk about it. He also hit back at politicians and human rights group which he claimed are also part of destabilization efforts against the President. For instance, he said that the act of detained Sen. and Trillanes calling Duterte a “dictator, mass murderer and plunderer” was part of the destabilization plot. “They say there’s no destabilization but on the other hand they want to oust the President. If that is not destabilization then what is?” Cayetano said. The senator said that human rights groups and politicians should “separate” political agenda from their advocacies. “There is a different intention in improving the police enforcement and there is a different target to oust the President. These are different objectives but they go together,” he added. He cited human rights groups’ concern over de Lima’s arrest and detention making it seem like the President himself was behind it. “Are they now saying our courts are under Duterte and we have a dictatorship? The style of the group of de Lma and Trillanes is to weaken the court system and make it appear to the international community that there is no law and order in the Philippines,” Cayetano said. “The problem with human rights groups is that they are involving themselves in politics,” he added. He said that although there were people who were sincere in their advocacies, he cannot deny the presence of drug lords and politicians who joined in.

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