The elder Duterte said the override was expected because the council had already voted in favor of the power plant.

“They voted in favor of the project before, it is expected that they will override it (veto). Do you think they will change their minds?” Duterte told reporters.  

He also lashed at the critics of the proposed coal-fired power plant, telling them to carefully study the technology first.

“To those who are very vocal, you don’t know everything in this world. If you think you are intelligent, we are more intelligent than you,” he said.

Mayor Duterte expressed frustration over the decision of the city council.

“I’m frustrated, I’m sad …They should have heeded the veto because it is a powerful message that the city mayor is against their measure,” she told reporters on Tuesday, a day after 21 of the 22 councilors present at the session voted to override her veto.

Councilor Paolo Duterte, an ex-officio member representing the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), abstained.

When she issued her veto, the mayor said she also told the councilors to review all the materials related to the coal-fired power plant’s technology.

“But apparently, on the day itself I issued the veto, (it was) the same day also that the reports came out that they will override the veto,” she said Duterte-Carpio.

“Let history judge them na lang,” she added.

Last week, her father had already hinted of the override, saying the city council had the final say and leave the mayor no choice but to implement the project.

While Mayor Duterte acknowledged that the councilors were just exercising democracy, she said she had yet to consult the city legal counsel to explore other options to block the power plant.

The override has earned the council the ire of groups opposed to the power plant, with some 200 of them staging a protest at city hall as the session took pace.

Source: Interkasyon.Com

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 December) — Twenty-one councilors voted on Monday to override Mayor Sara Duterte’s veto of an ordinance reclassifying a parcel of land in Barangay Binugao, Toril District from protected medium industrial zone to protected heavy industrial zone, to allow Aboitiz Power Corp. to construct a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

While the session was going on, some 200 protesters had already gathered in front of the City Council building to protest against the establishment of the coal-fired power plant.

Twenty-two councilors attended the session but Councilor Paolo Duterte, an ex-officio member being the chair of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), abstained from the voting.

After Majority Floor Leader Tomas Monteverde III read the veto order of the mayor before the council, presiding officer Councilor Karlo Bello granted his request for a three-minute recess during which the lawmakers agreed who would speak first.

After the break, Duterte told the council he would not participate in the voting.

Addressing his colleagues, Councilor Melchor Quitain acknowledged that there are alternative sources of energy which are less harmful such as solar, wind and hydro power.

He, however, added: “To say there are alternative sources of energy is not the same as saying that they are available. And to say that they are available is not the same as saying they are available now. And to say that they are available now is not the same as saying that they are doable and workable here in Davao City.”

In her previous media interviews, the mayor has been urging “to explore other alternative sources of energy instead of the coal.”

Opposition groups echoed the mayor’s suggestion to explore alternative sources of energy.

While Quitain was speaking, five protesters silently walked inside the session hall with placards showing their opposition to the coal-fired power plant project.

The council’s sergeant-at-arms tried to put the placards down but Bello signaled at him to allow the protesters to go on with their silent protest.

After Quitain’s speech, Bello called for a vote on whether or not to override the veto of the mayor. Except for Duterte’s abstention, the motion to overrule the veto got a unanimous vote.

They were: Nilo Abellera, Victorio Advincula  Jr., Bernard Al-ag, Al Ryan Alejandre, Dante Apostol, Conrado Baluran, Joanne Bonguyan, Louie John Bonguyan,  Pilar Braga, Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling, April Marie Dayap, Jimmy Dureza, Melchor Quitain, Edgar  Ibuyan,  Emmanuel Galicia Sr., Rene Elias Lopez, Tomas  Monteverde III, Jashera Gonzales, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Jose Louie Villafuerte, and Rachel Zozobrado.

Councilor Jimmy Dureza then asked the presiding the officer if they could move to adopt the explanation of Quitain so that they would not have to explain their affirmative vote one by one.

The council moved to adopt Quitain’s explanation.

After the voting, the protesters marched out of the session hall while shouting “mga traidor sa katawhan” (traitors of the people).

Franchie Buhayan, secretary general of Bayan Southern Mindanao Region, led the protesters in a noise barrage in front of the City Council building.

Buhayan accused the councilors as traitors and of allegedly being more loyal to the Aboitiz Power Corporation than to their constituents.

“They refused to listen to the people, particularly those living in the project site,” she screamed.

Tom Villarin, convenor of Dabawenyo Ayaw sa Coal (DAC) claimed that scientific studies over decades have proven the negative impact of coal-fired power plants.

“We don’t need dead bodies before we say coal is unsafe,” Villarin said in a statement sent to media.

In her veto message, the mayor said: “As a mayor of our city, I should be at the forefront of effecting the observance of the right of our people to health and balanced ecology, and the correlative duty of the people, which I suppose rests largely upon the government, to refrain from impairing the environment.” (Keith Bacongco/MindaNews)

Source: MindaNews.Com

Duterte-Carpio said the project is prejudicial to the general welfare of the public, adding that she was “disturbed with the environmental and health implications resulting from the operation of the project.”

On November 15 the city council passed Ordinance 0200-11 Series of 2011 reclassifying the area for the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant project. The move was made upon the request of the Aboitiz Power Corp.

In her three-page message obtained by this writer, the mayor said: “The subject measure is hereby vetoed pursuant to Section 55 [a] of Republic Act 7160 on the ground that the same is prejudicial to public welfare.”

Section 55 (a) of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code, provides that the mayor may veto an ordinance if it is deemed to be prejudicial to the general welfare.

Duterte-Carpio cited possible risks of the project to the environment and public.

In her previous media interviews, Duterte-Carpio has been saying “to explore other alternative sources of energy instead of the coal.”

The vetoed ordinance reclassified parcels of land in Barangay Binugao from protected medium industrial zone to protected heavy industrial zone.

The mayor cited the US Presidential Task Force, which was created to look at ways to alter the energy direction of the United States energy providers, that favors the trend away from coal-fired power plants.

“It would seem, therefore, that allowing the establishment of a coal power plant in our city is to adopt a power source technology which is now being rejected in most part of the world, most especially in the US, because of the environment hazards it poses to our planet and humanity,” said Duterte-Carpio, adding that introducing it in the city would be a step backward rather than forward to progress.

Dr. Jean Lindo, convener of No to Coal Davao, commended the mayor’s decision, saying it is a people’s victory.

But Lindo added that they would remain vigilant because “there might be ways to overturn this.”

The City Council has yet to vote during their plenary session next week whether to override or accept the veto.

The city has 26 councilors, and they must have 18 votes to override the veto. Twenty-one of them have voted for the ordinance reclassifying the plant site.

Also, majority of the council members believe the plant will bring economic benefits to the city and will help in the current energy crisis in Mindanao.

As of this writing, sources from Aboitiz Power Corp., one of the biggest power producers in the country, said they have yet to release a statement on the mayor’s veto.

In the meat section, I also noticed that only few stocks of meat were left. The vendor said they only butchered one pig because they are afraid that they wont be able to sell all the pork by lunchtime.

Normally, from 5am to 9am is the busiest time every Sunday in Agdao market.  But this morning, it was not an unsual Sunday in Agdao.

Aside from the 19 casualties, 14 other soldiers were wounded in the firefight in Al-Barka town.

Jennifer Mabalot, widow of Sgt. Bonfiacio Mabalot, told reporters that she was not blaming anyone for the death her husband and his comrades.

Mabalot, a mother of four the youngest of whom is nine-months old, said she has already accepted the death of her 34-year old husband since it was part of his job of as a soldier.

She added that they were married for 10 years already.

Mabalot disclosed that the last time she communicated with her husband was last week.

She said she and her husband were together for the last time in July this year, adding she had asked him if he could be reassigned in Davao del Norte.

The remains of the slain Special Forces sergeant were taken to Tagum City on board a military truck.

“I can ask for nothing more because I know this was really his job. I hope we’ll pray for those who have died,” she said in Filipino.

The 31-year old widow had depended on her husband to raise their kids.

She flew with the remains of her husband and those of other soldiers from Zamboanga City.

Like the widow, Pfc. Edwin Dequito, also boarded the plane that carried the bodies. His younger brother, Pfc. Erwin Dequito of the Special Forces was killed along with Mabalot.

The elder Dequito, who belongs to the 64th Infantry Battallion based in Marawi City, told MindaNews that the remains of his brother will be taken to Barangay Deganin in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.

He said Erwin joined the Army in 2009.

The body of the third soldier, Pvt. Garry Colonia, was accompanied by his brother who is also a member of the Special Forces.

Colonia’s remains were taken to Tupi, South Cotabato, around 142 kilometers from this city.

Elements of the Task Force Davao unloaded the coffins from the C-130 cargo plane while a band from the Philippine Air Force played as the caskets were being carried to the tarmac for the military honors.

The C-130 touched down at the Davao International Airport at around 1:30pm.

From here, the C-130 cargo plane flew the remains of 1Lt. Frank Junder Caminos to Cagayan de Oro City.

The rest of the bodies were flown to Manila. (Keith Bacongco/MindaNews)

Published: MindaNews

Kadayawan 2011 Motocross in Davao Riverfront Complex

Every week, garbage pile up at a vacant lot in front of our house especially a day before or two days before the scheduled pick up day, which is every Thursdays.

Last week, garbage collectors left a pile of unsegregated garbage. I have no choice but to douse it with diesel and burn it to prevent flies from feasting on the biodegradable materials.

Since the implementation of the Waste Segregation Ordinance in the city, garbage collectors are leaving the biodegradable wastes in the vacant lot. Then we noticed  the increase of flies in our surroundings.

In our case in Emily Homes, there should be a pick up point so that the residents would only dump their garbage in the designated area instead of leaving them anywhere.

The barangay officials should conduct  a symposium among its constituents regarding this policy. It is not enough to simply announce it on radio or TV.

Since Cabantian is a home to many subdivisions,   the barangay should visit these subdivisions and inform the residents.  I’m sure this is not just a problem in Emily Homes, this is also a problem in other subdivisions.

Who is telling these people when and where to dump their garbages? It’s the garbage collectors! Is this already part of their job to inform the people?

Just this morning, a garbage collector lectured some residents that they should not leave their garbage anywhere. Instead, they should wait for the garbage truck to arrive since it is blowing its horn as a signal that the garbage truck is in the vicinity.

It’s not just the residents  living near this vacant lot turned into a mini-dumpsite suffer this foul smell and pestering flies, it’s also the people passing by the street.

The barangay must deploy monitoring teams in subdivisions in coordination with the housing association presidents. I learned that the barangay has coordinated with the local purok leaders in the subdivisions to report violators. But it seems no one is monitoring the implementation of the policy.

Ang usa pud ka problema ani kay ang mga tag-balay, dili man nila ingnon pud ila katabang na hulaton ang truck. Karon, kinsa man pud masakpan kung naa na manakop, di ba ang katabang dili ang amo?

To Kapitan Joji Lumanog, our future city councilor, isn’t it hard to exert extra efforts to educate your constituents?

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/01 July) – Apparently incensed by the refusal of her request to delay the demolition of houses owned by informal settlers in a barangay here, Mayor Sara Duterte hit a court sheriff with a couple of punches in full view of residents and reporters.

Prior to it, a police officer and three others persons had been injured after the demolition this morning at Purok Soliman in Barangay Tomas Monteverde Sr. resulted in a scuffle when some residents offered resistance.

The violence prompted Duterte to punch court sheriff Abe Andres who was trying to enforce the demolition order on informal settlers in a 2,000-square meter land.

TV cameras were able to get footage of Duterte hitting Andres who just turned his back and tried to cover his face as the mayor’s aides tried to stop her.

Duterte admitted that she was unable to control her temper because the sheriff turned down her request to give her two hours before enforcing the demolition because she was still in Barangay Matina attending to the concerns of the flood victims.

“I have earlier requested the court that we will enforce the demolition order together because the residents will not follow any orders from the court except from the mayor,” she told reporters.

For humanitarian reasons, Duterte said she requested for the two-hour extension, or until 11a.m., so that she could still hold a dialogue with the residents before enforcing the demolition order. She added no violence could have ensued had the sheriff listened to her.

She, however, clarified that she did not order a stop to the demolition that would affect 220 families, but only wanted to have it enforced peacefully.

In an interview with GMA News Davao, Andres said he had no plans of filing a formal complaint against the mayor.

At 9a.m., the demolition team which was reportedly hired by the Davao Enterprises Corporation, and Andres arrived along with members of the City Disturbance Management of the police’s Davao City Public Safety Company.

Barangay Councilor Edgardo Robledo said that when the court sheriff ordered the demolition team to start dismantling the houses the residents barricaded the main entrance of the village.

Police Supt. Dionisio Abude, DCPSC chief, told MindaNews that they could not exactly determine who started the violence.

The police, who were armed with shields and truncheons, dismantled the barricade and led the demolition team as the residents fought back, Abude said.

“Then stones and bottles, some filled with urines, were hurled against the police and demolition team,” he said.

Inspector Peter John Muring, team leader of the anti-riot police, was hit by an “Indian pana” (sling dart) in the leg and was rushed to the hospital.

Abude could not yet identify who shot Muring.

Three other unidentified persons were also injured. Two of them were hit by stones in the head while the other one was injured during the melee.

The residents alleged that the demolition team was composed of some gang members from the Quezon Boulevard area.

A member of the demolition team told MindaNews that the landowner promised to pay them P300 each for the job.

Duterte also scolded the police for failing to control the situation. “Look at the demolition team, it seems they are not here to demolish, they are here for a riot,” she said in front of the police officers.

Tension eased when the mayor arrived at 10a.m. and held a dialogue with the residents, barangay officials and the police.

Under a scorching sun, Duterte convened the barangays officials with city councilors Tomas Monteverde Jr. and Al Ryan Alejandre in the middle of the street, which was closed to traffic from 9a.m. until the mayor left at 3:30p.m.

By 12 noon, two fire trucks arrived supposedly to be used against resisting residents. But Duterte refused to use them as she was still talking to the lawyers and wanted to resolve the row peacefully.

The mayor assured the residents that the city government already had a relocation site for them.

She explained to the residents that they had already lost the legal battle and the court had issued an order to demolish their houses.

She asked the residents to voluntarily submit their names to facilitate their relocation and voluntarily demolish their houses.

“So that you can still use some parts of your houses, you voluntarily demolish your houses and we will help you move to the relocation site in barangay Tugbok or Tibungco,” she told the crowd.

At 4pm, some residents started demolishing their houses.

Ignacio dela Peña, 71, said he would voluntarily demolish his house and move to the relocation site.

“I have no choice, we have lost the case and the mayor has assured us of our relocation site,” said dela Peña, who had lived in Purok Soliman since 1956.  (Keith Bacongco and Ruby Thursday More/MindaNews)