Quarrying collaborators

Ben Contreras

WE were still in Manila when news about tropical storm “Vinta” intensifying was all over Facebook. Although it gave me the creeps, it made a landfall elsewhere and with that came a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for long.

My first glimpse of the aftermath was a photo shared by a friend. It’s a photo of our rotunda inundated. I knew then that it was another “Sendong” in the making in areas already known to everyone.

“Zero casualty!” our officials crowed. It was not something to brag about. In fact, it should be an eye opener and something to ponder on. Have we really done our duty?

The flooding came about in daytime. Had it been in the evening, I bet there would be casualties in great numbers. A friend’s home was flooded to the roof. Another found her home full of mud as soon as the water receded. Our neighbors in Lanao province reported human casualties and evidently, logging has not stopped.

I posted on Facebook: “I see no guilt or conscience. But the silence tells a different story.” A friend asked what was that about? But there was a follow up to that. “Those who fought for the protection of our environment are today’s collaborators.”

If it was gold mining during the time of Dongkoy Emano, it’s quarrying now under Oca Moreno. Indeed, those who fought during Dongkoy are now the collaborators under Moreno. Although we don’t see them feeling guilty or pricked by their conscience, their silence says otherwise. But perhaps also, they have totally lost in the sea of good fortune under the present administration.

Just awhile ago, my nephew asked me: “Yo, nasayod ka ba sa role sa Bukidnon nganhi sa CDO?” I said I learned of that a long time ago, after Sendong, to be exact.

Former DENR regional director Raoul Geolegue has been talking about it in many fora, explaining with Powerpoint, and showing dates and videos and whatever is available to make his presentations clear and understandable. Well, DENR continues to ignore the warnings by doing nothing.

DENR as a whole failed the people because this institution is being run by corrupt officials (except for the honest ones).

Who are into quarrying in the city? Who are operating illegally? Who are not reporting the real volumes, thereby depriving the city government of its real share of taxes? Who in Clenro are into monkey business? Who are the politicians into illegal quarrying? Who are the collaborators in the city government? Have they no conscience anymore? Ah, conscience, like “delicadeza,” is no longer a virtue of government workers.

In our latest radio program, my partner shared to me a recorded attempt to interview Moreno. Moreno was not just impolite but damn rude and hypocrital. “Ayaw na, Ding, kay binayaran ka ni Dongkoy.”

Moreno definitely needs a mirror so he could look at his own face. And let me ask: “How many are under your payroll or rewarded with employment and business? Do you think we do not know? They are those who clean their s**t by accusing others.”

The aftermath of Vinta is still serious. It could happen again and again and again. I put the fate of our people in the hands of DENR and down the line agencies, the city government and those who are into illegal and unregulated quarrying, businessmen and politicians.

If calamity strikes again, I hope it chooses wisely as to who the victims should be.