A battle won, but the war rages on

 By KIT KAIMO

Timuay Langhap Rio

Olimpio A. Lingating

PAGADIAN CITY -- Another battle won by the Indigenous People of Zamboanga del Sur happened just recently after Environment Management Bureau (EMB) made an ocular inspection at the illegal small scale mining sites at Barangay Mate, in the nearby town of Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur and in barangay Deborok and Lourdes of this city,

in a press statement issued by the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) said.  

EMB personnel inspect the sites after Timuay Langhap Rio Olimpio “Bobby” A. Lingating sent series of complaints; the last was with the EMB. EMB Personnel saw that indeed the complaints were substantial and that indeed there were still illegal miners operating after a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) was implemented.

It was known that EMB Personnel visited the Mayor of Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur after the inspection. This triggered the stoppage of the illegal operation since the Mayor will be liable being that the area is under his control and a Ceased and Decease Order (CDO) had been implemented.

The IPs considered this development a battle won, but Timuay Langhap Bobby Lingating said this is just temporary. This is only a lull because politicians know that this year is an election year. These illegal operations might be used against them by their political opponents.

Recently, Bobby Lingating said, a media personality in a paid Radio program by the Provincial Government said that he regret the stoppage of the Minahan ng Bayan operating in Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur since this operation has the go signal of the Governor Antonio H. Cerilles and that a supposedly “IP Leader” did not support this moved.

Timuay Langhap Bobby Lingating upon hearing his commentary was happy that the Governor now supports this illegal operation or at least gave his blessings for these illegal miners to operate. These words will then be used when the IP themselves will assert for their rights. 

In a program aired at the station DXCA, uttered by his trusted media man on a program sponsored by the Provincial Government. This perhaps is our breakthrough, Timuay Bobby Lingating said.

To recall, the IPs called for the illegal operators to undergo a legal process. Timuay Bobby said he had a talk with one cooperative who applied for Minahan ng Bayan Permit where this media man is also a member.

Timuay Bobby Lingating told the chairman the legal processes to take in pursuit of a permit. But the illegal operators keep on illegally operating. This was the reason why Timuay Bobby sent series of letters to many government agencies to include the PNP, AFP, NBI and even the Ombudsman has now knowledge on this issue.

Why was this done? To protect the interest of the IPs, the environment and the local government units. Timuay Bobby said that if these people will turn legit, they will be paying taxes to the local government units, they will be following stringent procedures to protect not only the environment but the lives and limbs of the miners.

Having said that, Timuay Bobby Lingating asked, “is there a reason to regret a stoppage of an illegal activity?” Perhaps to this media man who said that this operation has the support of the Governor, and being a party to the cooperative that applied for said operation, he regretted the stoppage since their fund raising is being stopped.

“We will go legit”, this was the promised uttered by Timuay Bobby Lingating. We will do everything for the operators to undergo a legal process. And when that time comes, we will know if the Governor will really support it as uttered by his trusted media man in a radio station owned by him and in a program sponsored by the Provincial Government.

We, the IPs, Lingating said had won another battle. But our war against unscrupulous individuals or groups vent on disrespecting the IPRA, the IPs and our Ancestral Domain still rages on. “We will be vigilant and we ask our friends, real media friends to be vigilant as well. And also those in government service to uphold the law. We ask everyone not to be swayed by mis-information, Lingating disclosed