Phividec asks Misor board over instead

By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent . 

THE Phividec Industrial Authority continued to give Misamis Oriental’s legislature the cold shoulder even as its officials turned down an invitation by the provincial board to shed light on the controversial shipments of wastes from South Korea. Rather than show up during the provincial board’s regular session on Monday, Phividec administrator Franklin Quijano asked the province’s lawmakers over to attend the Industrial Authority’s board meeting in Tagoloan town instead.

Presiding over the session of the provincial legislature the other day, provincial board member Gerardo Sabal III said Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez, on behalf of Misamis Oriental’s legislative body, received the invitation to attend the Phividec board meeting scheduled this Friday, Dec. 14.

The provincial board members outrightly rejected the Phividec invitation for them to discuss the controversial VNS Verde Soko Philippines Industrial Corp.’s shipments.

The Phividec invitation did not sit well with provincial board members.

Provincial board member Boris Olivier Actub said the effect was like the provincial board members receiving a summon from Phividec instead of the legislature summoning Phividec officials.

Provincial board member Wayne Militante called the Phividec invitation an “insult” to the Sanggunian Panlalawigan.

Another provincial board member, President Elipe, moved to turn down the Phividec invitation. The motion was unanimously approved.

Sabal said Phividec is not the proper place for the provincial board to ask questions about Verde Soko and its controversial shipments.

Reads part of the Dec. 7 letter addressed by Quijano to Pelaez: “Thank you for your invitation for me and my staff to attend the 43rd Regular Session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on December 10, 2018, and prepare a presentation on the timelines relative to Verde Soko Industrial Corporation’s importation and release of raw materials.

“Much as we would like to be present on Monday, we have different previously scheduled commitments that need to be honored on that day. These are the same reason why we were not able to attend prior invitations.

“Anent to this, we are inviting instead the Honorable Vice Governor and the Members of Sangguniang Panlalawigan to attend our board meeting on  December 14, 2018 at 9:00 in the morning. The PIA Board of Directors will be around on that day, we will provide a presentation with regards to this matter for appreciation.”

The letter was read during the provincial board’s session on Monday afternoon.

Sabal said the provincial board would send another invitation to Phividec so it could send its representatives to attend the Sanggunian’s regular session on Jan. 7, 2019.