Zarate wanted second permit for sandbar quarry operations: Clenro

By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA
Correspondents

MAYOR Oscar Moreno’s new accuser, businessman Reynaldo Zarate, could not be given a quarry permit because he already has one, and because the Balulang property he has been claiming to be his is a sandbar, city hall’s environment chief Edwin Dael said yesterday.

Dael, head of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro), said this after he, Moreno, and over a dozen others were ordered by the ombudsman’s office to answer a new graft complaint that was filed by Zarate.

Dael said there was no way for the City Mining Regulatory Board (CMRB) to endorse Zarate’s application for a second permit to quarry because of existing rules and regulations.

One of the CMRB rules, he said, is not to allow anyone with an existing permit to quarry to be granted an additional permit.

“Duna na may existing quarry permit kana si Zarate. Gusto man niya duha-on ang iyang permit sa la-in na sab nga area. Dili man kana mahimo kay na-a may regulasyon sa CMRB aron dili magmahay ang uban,” he said.

Dael said another reason why the CMRB cannot approve Zarate’s application is because the businessman wanted to start quarry operations in a property that he claimed to be his but which has been identified as a sandbar by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

Moreno, for his part, said Zarate was closely associated with the group of one of his reelection challengers, and called him a “political operator.”

Over DxIM-Radyo ng Bayan, Moreno confirmed that Zarate is his townmate.

“Taga Barangay San Isidro (in Balingasag) man kana siya, ug ‘Sargate’ among tawag ana niya kay kada election modagan bisan dili makada-og,” Moreno said.

Incidentally, Zarate is a candidate for mayor in Balingasag, Moreno’s hometown.

Moreno said Zarate filed a complaint against him and 17 others at the ombudsman as a scare tactic.

“Gusto niya (Zarate) nga iya akong hinadlokon ug kaso aron akong ihatag ang iyang gusto pangayo-on,” said Moreno, denying the accusation that officials favored businessman Peter Go because the latter was granted a permit to quarry in Balulang.

“This is a total pangilkil. Bahala og pila ka kaso iyang i-file,” he said.

He also explained that the process of granting quarry permits at city hall starts at the CMRB. He said he only issues permits in favor of applicants who have been screened and given the go-ahead by the CMRB.

“There are no shortcuts,” he said.

The CMRB is chaired by Rex Monsanto, the regional director of the MGB. Its members include Dael and sectoral representatives.

Moreno also cried foul over Zarate’s complaint, and described it as “another political harassment.”

He said he suspected Zarate act was also meant at discrediting his administration.

“This is part of the occasional hazard. Kini para lamang nga makasagap sila nga duna unyay suspension. They are trying to make it look like under my administration, I am facing a lot of problems,” he said.

Moreno said it was unfortunate that some city hall department heads and even officials from national government offices were being dragged into partisan political schemes.

In his complaint, Zarate accused Moreno and other officials of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, manifest partiality, gross violation of RA 6713 and RA 3019, falsification of public documents, trespass, malicious mischief, and of violation of the Mining Act.

Included as respondents in the complaint are Dael, Monsanto, Councilor Zaldy Ocon, Balulang barangay chairman Alfredo Carcosa,  City Social Welfare Office chief Teddy Sabuga-a, former CMRB member Ralph Abragan, businessman Peter Go;

Daniel Belderol, Rodante Felina, Bernardino Silvosa,  Balulang barangay secretary Virgilio Pendre, Jun Perew-Perew, Guy Nelson Radaza,  Jun Mangadlaw, Normal Rosal, Roy Baltazar, and Romeo Tidadul.