Trader accuses mining board of favoritism in giving quarry permits

By NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent

A BUSINESSMAN has accused the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) and the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) of favoritism in the issuances of sand-and-gravel quarry permits even as he threatened to bring them to the ombudsman.
The businessman, Reynaldo Zarate, he was preparing to file charges against Clenro chief Edwin Dael and MGB regional director Rex Monsanto, and members of the City Mining and Regulatory Board (CMRB).
Zarate, owner of Gemac Trading and Development Corp., said the officials have not acted on his application for a quarry permit covering an area in Barangay Balulang.
The irony, he said, was that a quarry permit was issued in favor of another businessman, Peter Go, because of the recommendation of Dael, Monsanto and the CMRB.
He said Go was expected to start quarry operations in the Balulang area today.
Zarate also cried foul over a government declaration that his tw-hectare property in Balulang was a “sand bar.”
He said he bought the property from the Balans in 1983, and showed documents to support his claim.
The property, he said, was surveyed by the Bureau of Lands that was under the now defunct Ministry of Natural Resources.
Zarate said Monsanto has maintained that the property was a sand bar, and there was a need for the Cagayan River’s water flow to be redirected to the property.
“Ilang ipakalot ang akong yuta aron ilang ipatipas ang tubig aron ilang ma-justify nga sand bar ang akong yuta,” said Zarate, adding that this would be done through Go’s scheduled operations.
“Ang akong yuta daplin man sa suba, ang yuta ni Peter Go layo ra sa suba,” he said.
Dael said Go was given a permit based on the recommendation of the CMRB which found merit in the businessman’s application.
Zarate, according to Dael, could not be given a permit because of an “area clearance” issued by city hall during the Emano administration.
Dael said Zarate secured the area clearance, and engaged in quarrying in another Balulang area.
“Na-ay may iyang daan nga area clearance, so dili gyud namo siya mahatagan sa bag-o nga quarry permit,” he said.
Dael said the law prohibits the issuance of a new quarry permit unless the older area clearance has been cancelled.
“Ang bala-od nag-ingon man nga kon na-a na kay da-ang area clearance, dili mahimong mag-doble ang area nga imong kuwarihon,” Dael said.