March Fianza
On October 27, 2010; The
Tadiangan-Nangalisan Hydro Ancestral Landowners Association (TNHALA) led by
civic leader and businessman Roger D. Sinot and BSU Professor Olga Cagas Dangwa,
along with the city under Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan struck a compromise
agreement over the use of the latter of lands traversed by plume lines and
gated water tanks for the operation of the mothballed Asin Hydro Electric Plant
in Tuba, Benguet.
The agreement was the result of
negotiations, exchange of communications, lengthy discussions, disagreements
and differences over unpaid payments for the use of ancestral lands by the
hydro facilities since it was constructed by Engr. EJ Halsema who was then Baguio
mayor and concurrent Benguet District Engineer from 1920-37.
Four years after the compromise
agreement was approved by Regional Trial Court, Branch 3 on April 19, 2011;
five years since it was signed by Mayor Domogan; and eight long years since the
city should have started paying its rent to the TNHALA, an organization of at
least 200 members, not a single centavo was paid.
Mayor Domogan knows that a number of
family members of the TNHALA have passed on due to old age or illness,
expecting to receive benefits and privileges stipulated in the compromise
agreement that are long overdue. After a long wait, nothing came.
Nothing came out of the blood, sweat
and tears of members of the TNHALA who religiously attended meetings,
discussions, dialogues and even court hearings. Meanwhile, other alleged
claimants just stayed on the side and waited if anything came out of the
compromise agreement.
Recently, another group who call
themselves the Poblacion, Tadiangan, Nangalisan Community Landowners
Association (PTNCLA) had a meeting with the city council. Apparently, the city
councilors cannot just throw them out of the hall, and were in fact confused
with the presence of the group who also claimed to be members of TNHALA.
Prior to the compromise agreement, the
city sued the officers of TNHALA for economic sabotage for diverting the water
away from the plume lines that allegedly rendered the Asin Hydro plants
inoperational, for grave coercion, and violation of the water code. These cases
were dismissed by the Prosecutors Office of Benguet and the Regional
Prosecutors Office in La Union.
All these times, members and leaders of
the new group PTNCLA never offered help, contributed time, effort and money
when the TNHALA officers were being sued in court and exerting personal
resources for the 200-member association.
To make the agreement
more valid, the city surveyed the lands of the affected claimants who in turn
submitted tax declarations and proofs of occupancy over their lands. The
surveyor sent by the city reported that “not all land claims of listed TNHALA
members” are affected by the plume lines and facilities of the Asin Hydro
plants.
As of date, some P2.6
M in terms of cash payments to land owners, other benefits and privileges as
stipulated in the compromise agreement was computed as long overdue obligations
to be received by the affected landowners.
At least two members
of the PTNCLA who appeared to be the speakers of the group told the city
council that they knew nothing about the compromise agreement but in contrast
to that claim, they knew of a collection of money worth P2.6 M.
As things appear, it
is the money collection that has attracted other landowners to organize.
Apparently, personalities in the community who have secret interests made use
of the gullible residents and urged them to organize in order to receive shares
from the expected payment.Hush-hush deal.
********
On countless instances, when government
is stuck in its own actions, it seeks resolutions by resorting to arrangements,
whether hush-hush or open. Some deals work out right but in some cases,
situations get worse and both parties are mired in a protracted battle with no
solution in sight.
A case in point was when a member of
the Iglesia Ni Cristo filed last week a criminal complaint before the
Department of Justice against members of the INC's Sanggunian for alleged
threats, coercion, and for harassing and illegally detaining him and his
family.
INC alleged that Justice Sec. Leila De
Lima was behind the complaint of Isaias Samson Jr., Editor-in-Chief of Pasugo,
INC’s official publication, who was previously expelled by the church.
The group’s claim about Sec. de Lima's
alleged intrusion in the internal affairs of INC was one reason behind the
five-day protest at EDSA. Apparently, this forced Malacanang to entertain a
dialogue with INC leaders due to the enormous traffic and undue disturbance it
was causing the public and businesses that had to close and sacrifice revenues.
On their protest tarpaulins, the group
printed allegations of a violation of the “separation of the church and state”.
How was it so? It is a criminal case against INC leaders, not against the
Church.
There is no denying the fact that
politicians court the INC that is known to be a solid voting bloc composed of
more than two million. This is why Malacanang had to bow down to the INC’s
wishes. This, aside from previous endorsements for employment in government,
projects and other favors that officials gave way to.
The INC started their protest action in
front of the DOJ compound before moving to EDSA. The group voluntarily
dispersed on the fifth day of protest on Monday, ending the protest action
after their leaders met with Malacanang officials.
Both sides denied that arrangements
were made during the meeting. If so, what was the meeting for? It is anybody’s
guess that the INC leaders could have demanded for De Lima’s resignation and
for the illegal detention charges to be dismissed.
If not, then Malacanang has a lot of
explaining to do. It has to be transparent to allay fears that Malacanang does
not bow down to the influence of any religion group. It has to make it clear
that Samson's criminal complaint will not be dismissed as a result of the
meeting between the INC and the government.
Although, there were doubts about the INC
leaders’ influence to mobilize their followers as it was noticed that the
number of protesters from Manila were augmented by other members who arrived on
provincial buses.
This is obviously a sign that a silent
majority of followers understand the issues haunting their church and are not
blind as to be easily persuaded to join rallies that have political undertones,
especially when these involve criminal complaints.
But in fairness, there is no doubt also
that the INC membership remains solid when it comes to missions, devotion and
respect to the church’s teachings.
On the other hand, both Malacanang and
the INC leadership have no other recourse but accept that criminal complaints
have to undergo normal court procedures. Unnecessary protests that are
perceived to influence secret political deals over personal criminal complaints
will only aggravate already dented relations between parties.
Also, secret deals are dangerous as
these prolong animosities and can even aggravate resentment previously
articulated by some INC members against their leaders.
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