NEWS: Gov. Chiongkee, Comval incumbents stick to Lakas, Gibo

nov 24

Compostela Valley Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy and the rest of incumbent officials under the political aggrupation Uswag Comval have finally decided to stick it out for the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD Sunday evening in final minutes during what could be described as intense political meeting called for to choose who should be their presidential candidate.

In a closed door three-hour meeting held at Miko’s Brew coffee bar in Tagum City, the group decided as “final” to remain with the administration party and support the  administration party’s standard bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, confirmed Uy in a text message.

The meeting was attended by first district Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora , second district Cong. Rommel “Bobong” Amatong, Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya, municipal mayors and vice mayors except Monkayo Mayor Manuel Brillantes Jr and his Vice Mayor Avelino Cabag.

Midway in the meeting Laak Mayor Rey Navarro, in an interview, said that the group was “divided” in that Cong. Amatong and several mayors were for Teodoro, as the governor and other mayors rooted for Senator Manny Villar of Nacionalista Party while Cong. Zamora “would side whoever the governor would decide to support” . Sources said that the name of Senator Noynoy Aquino of the Liberal Party was also entertained.

Close to 9 P.M. and about 45 minutes before the meeting ended, Amatong was seen hurrying to leave from the venue.

Sources said that the group then ended up into voting where the administration’s bet emerged to be the choice fearing a break up of Uswag Comval.

After the meeting, Navarro said “it’s final for the sake of unity we go for Lakas and Gibo”, while Mabini Mayor Hajji Amir Munoz said “we agreed that nobody would leave Lakas”.

Uy said in text message that he had already discussed the issue with Mayor Brillantes in a lunch with him Saturday and that the latter agreed to abide with the group’s collective decision.

Earlier, the governor has been much talked of by pundits to be rooting for Villar than with Teodoro although he was reported to be not closing the door to the Nacionalista Party or Liberal Party if ever they would not remain with the administration party citing that “both parties have the firepower needed for the elections.”

Meanwhile, in separate interview, former Maco Mayor Miller Alaba, who said he is an ardent fan of former President Cory Aquino and presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino, said that “Gov. Uy’s act of going down under his partymates is so humbling and endearing to me”.

Alaba said that while he would go for the opposition he would support Uy and would not support this early former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero who has been reportedly forming slates under the opposition, possibly swooping down to get the vacant NP now for either a gubernatorial comeback or a renewed congressional run.

The recent support the Uswag Comval has at least boosted up Teodoro in the province despite that he is far trailing behind in local surveys reportedly made by local politicians while Aquino has remained to rank number 1. (By Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News)

Filed under: bobong amatong, chiongkee uy, rey navarro, way kurat zamora, chiongkee uy, joecab caballero, mayor hajji amir munoz, mayor rey navarro, miko's brew, rommel amatong, way kurat zamora

OPINION: A Season’s right topic

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

dec 19

If there’s one good topic good-natured politicians in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley must discuss during the merrymaking in the Yuletide Season it is the death of vibrant democracy in this part of the country. This death has been with us since two elections ago. This dying little by little occured starting when Fernando Poe Jr. ran for President, and when Kampi emerged as a new pro-administration party that fought against Lakas in 2004 polls. In FPJ’s loss, a song was made with a lyrics, “sa Pinas ang talo ay naging Pangulo.”

Since then electoral battles in Davnor and Comval have been engaged by Lakas and Kampi parties although there was such exemption when former Davao del Norte Governor Gelacio “Yayong” Gementiza was forced to jump ship and went to United Opposition (UNO) after a political wrangling. But then Yayong’s muckracking wasn’t against Lakas nor Kampi being opportunist political parties, while his campaign went only for rallying around his personality and not much on issues. It was in that 2007 polls when Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario clutched in straws both the Lakas and Kampi bets that threw a monkey wrench to the District 2 bets of former Cong. Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr.

Comval in 2004 polls has that political unification with former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero running under Lakas with erstwhile political rivals, former Cong. Pros Amatong, Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, and the Lakas mayors while Kampi then scarcely fielded municipal slates. It was in 2007 polls, when Caballero was shoved out from Lakas forcing him to use Kampi to engage in feverish battle with the Lakas titans.

When Kampi emerged only with few flickers in 2004 polls, it turned out to be a serious, alternative power contender against Lakas in 2007 polls, but in so far as the national bets were concerned, just the same to Lakas, Kampi also rued for Malacanang bets.

Without now the strong presence of Erap’s PMP, De Villa’s Reporma, Danding’s NPC, Drilon-wing Liberal parties in the two provinces, alternative political figures in the opposition are largely absent in the present political landscape.

At this writing, nobody even from the losing bets especially those having provincial stature and prominence, while not yet considered as political has-beens have engaged in even discursive engagements with Lakas and Kampi incumbents in critical and gut public issues of the day. Well, then Gob. Yayong and then Gob. Joecab are not yet seen as has-beens and spent force as far as my jaded eyes can see, but the former chose to still play a guessing game with the media when he earlier said he was convenient also to run with Gov. RDR, while the latter is still reportedly entertaining to be with the administration through Kampi. Santa Banana! Basa na ang record sa Lakas ug Kampi these days for pure and simple political opportunism while corruption issues are burning the fences of the administration, but sadly in our locales, no non-incumbent politician has yet emerged to engage in democratic discourse pertaining the incumbents’ policies and ways of running the government, nor someone from them has risen to be counted on as representative of the legal opposition.

But maybe potential legal oppositionists in our provinces, if really there are still souls out there, are just waiting for Lakas and Kampi parties to turn from basa to baho in the likes to what had befallen into KBL (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan) during the dying years of Marcos dictatorship. It seems that the blunder of legal oppositionists occurs not only when they continue to be in the comfort zone but more so when the refuse to see the writings in the wall, like the sentiments of our bishops these days, and feel the pulse of people. Look only how people gave political fortune to Isabela Governor Grace Padaca and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio, who read well the temper of their own people.

For their continued silence as we now enter in electoral year a few days from now, while people observe, see and listen the failings and arrogance of administration Lakas and Kampi parties over the media, legal oppositionists in our provinces have only themselves to blame when they are routed again comes 2010. It’s they who voice for the practical check and balance in the provinces. The legal opposition place is right in the bedrock of our democracy. It’s the safety valve of peace. Without it, the alternative is the underground opposition, that only begets further violence and bloodshed we can only regret. It seems they don’t rage to the dying of the light or choose to become bystander in their own dark tunnel. (For online edition, visit my blog: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, txt 09069104553, e-mail: chamonforte@yahoo.com)

Filed under: governor rodolfo del rosario, prospero amatong, tonyboy floirendo jr, way kurat zamora, yayong gementiza, governor rodolfo del rosario, prospero amatong, tonyboy floirendo jr, way kurat zamora, yayong gementiza

OPINION: The agreement

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

Now it can be told that Compostela Valley Vice Gov. Ramil Gentugaya had earlier pledged not to run for Congress. I finally chanced upon Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora at his base in Compostela town the other day and I got what I’ve long wished from him – to interview him tete-a-tete. To me, it was one of the rarest so I threw questions or lose him again.

There I got news right from the horses’ mouth, and what struck me was his information that VG Ramil, Gov. Chiongkee Uy, Boardmember Maricar and Cong. Way Kurat had already forged a prior agreement to avoid wrangling in the future and this is for VG Ramil to seek for his reelection as vice gov and for BM Maricar to run for the congressional post that his father is finishing to serve until 2010.

“That was the day after we took our oath of office,” Cong. Way Kurat recalled. And “I’ll stick to that (agreement),” he added.

I surfed the net when was really that, and lo, the joint oathtaking of newly elected Comval officials was June 30, 2007 (the twilight sky on that festive day was so colorful compliments of the fireworks display heralding the new administration themed in by Uswag Comval slogan). And so, the Ramil-Maricar-Chiongkee-Way Kurat agreement must be July 1, 2007. (Sorry, in my rush of writing a so good news the other day at an internet café in the interior Compostela town I missed to include the date, especially that a paying time is running against me).

When I reached his base at Compostela, Comval’s most popular politician Way Kurat, for ostensibly putting the province in the country’s map by his down-to-earth, newsworthy scenes and brims, was there in shorts and shirts calling up the Singapore embassy chancellor in Manila to help a distressed Comvalenya from Barangay Ngan, Compostela who was earlier imprisoned there but who could no longer be contacted by her relatives. The Singaporean official Cong. Way Kurat called as “my friend” pledged to help.

Things are revealing now particularly when reports were heard for sometime  that the governor had confided to several Lakas partymates and allies about his difficulties in walking in a tightrope just to keep the Comval unity surging given that he had already a prior commitment to BM Maricar. Ostensibly, this must be the continuation of the Cong. Way Kurat’s revelation that the governor has already “said his piece” and “Maricar is his choice”.

Cong. Way Kurat must have been optimistic still that the fortified Lakas-CMD would remain united with a powerhouse unity slate and that for the present running tiff between VG Ramil and BM Maricar over his post to end.  “The solution was already made,” he said referring to that July 1, 2007 agreement. He quipped that after I offered a scenario of BM Maricar running for the vice governor’s post and him for Compostela mayoral post, to keep the peace. It’s no-no, but for a win-win, VG Ramil must stick to the agreement.

But verily, Cong. Way Kurat is quite confident that VG Ramil will honor the agreement. “He is a good gentleman who has a word of honor… as well as the governor.” He knew VG Ramil too much, “from a good boy to a good man ….to a good politician and good leader in the province.”

With modesty, the congressman said that he molded VG Ramil in his political career starting when he was still the SK federation honcho after BM Maricar’s SK stint in the erstwhile undivided Davao del Norte. No wonder that the VG in his 2004 inaugural speech at Nabunturan Compre gym singled out and paid tribute to Way K with words as “my idol, my mentor”. That was the time when Gob. CK was first elected as a BM allied with ex-Gob. Joecab who defeated a token gubernatorial bet Trino Tirol.

From that interview, I also learned that the congressman and Monkayo Mayor Manuel “Junjun” Brillantes have no running feud between them and that they are seeing eye to eye and with a twosome of them leveling off . And that’s a far cry compared to the vice governor talking to the mayor only with a group, he said. But maybe the congressman is referring to the Friday Club at Marco. BM Maricar, too, is accordingly in constant communication with the mayor’s brother Lito and sister Olaycon Kapitana, Diel. I stand too apprised and updated now, thanks, but for a couple of weeks or so, I’ll wait for VG’s statement after the honeymoon with his beauteous, intelligent, Unilab executive better half- Joanna Ang-Gentugaya.

BLOGBUZZ: We still have to hear news after the scheduled meeting of the provincial directorate of Lakas-CMD in  Comval. Its chair is the governor, being the provncial Lakas chairman, with the other officers: vice chair- District 2 Cong. Rommel “Bobong” Amatong, secretary- BM Maricar, treasurer- VG Ramil, and the chairmen of the 5 committees held by Cong. Way K, Compostela Mayor Rey Castillo, New Bataan Mayor Lorenzo “Boy” Balbin, Nabunturan Mayor Macario “Dodong” Humol,    and Laak Mayor Rey “Reynab” Navarro, and provincial elder Pros Amatong as a member emeritus with also 1 vote like the rest…. Heard from the rounds after the NBI raid on the suspected culprit establishment where the UM Tagum sex scandal was camcorded. A lass just informed me, “Kuya di man to sex toy penis sa sex scandal nga na-mention nimo sa imong series of news ato, but a plastic container of Her Bench lotion.” I thought that Bench is only known of selling branded shirts and polos. For that, Bench company should better review the forms of its product containers at the risk of selling unwanted objects that someone may hold dear. (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, email: ruralurbanews@yahoo.com, or chamonforte@yahoo.com)

Filed under: boardmember maricar zamora-apsay, brillantes, compostela, comval congressmen, comval officials, comval politics, comval unity, cong way kurat zamora, cong. bobong amatong, congressman rommel amatong, laak mayor rey navarro, maricar apsay, new bataan, new bataan mayor lorenzo balbin, ramil gentugaya, ramil gentugaya wedding, trino tirol, vice governor ramil gentugaya, way kurat, way kurat zamora, boardmember maricar zamora-apsay, gov. chiongkee uy, nbi tagum tagum sex scandal, provincial elder pros amatong, tagum sex scandal update, tagum sex video scandal, vice gov ramil gentugaya

NEWS: Ramil will not run for Congress

“Ramil a good gentleman who has word of honor”- Way Kurat

oct 22

District 1 Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora said yesterday that Vice Governor Ramil Gentugaya is a “good gentleman who has a word of honor” in not breaching his earlier word of not running against her daughter Boardmember Maricar Zamora-Apsay for Congress by 2010.

In an interview, Cong. Zamora, who is currently in town for the recess in Congress, bared that Ramil had pledged not to run against Maricar at the presence of Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy.

He said that the four of them- he, the governor, Ramil and Maricar had already agreed that Ramil would run for his last term as vice governor while Maricar would run for Congress, which “Ramil conceded while Governor Uy endorsed.

“Ramil has a word of honor… as well as the governor, and I will stick to

that agreement,” the congressman said.

“Ramil also a good politician, a good leader of the province,” Cong. Zamora said on the vice governor who became his ijado when he became one of the honored ninongs of Ramil and Joanna Ang-Gentugaya in their grandest wedding last Saturday.

The third-termer congressman, who has ostensibly established quite a national prominence, said that there has been no problem in the first place on the Lakas-CMD party in view of the forthcoming 2010 election, particularly in his District “as the only solution is already made, and that’s for Ramil to continue serving as the vice governor, while the governor has already said his piece, with Maricar as his choice” in in apparent displeasure to the possible division that would erupt in the unified Lakas party in the province and to the much-touted Comval in case Ramil would proceed to run against Maricar.

He said he has known of Ramil, “from a good boy to a good man… I molded him as an SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) federation president after Maricar’s SK provincial leadership until he became one good leader”.

In the same interview, Cong. Zamora took exception of the earlier Sidlak report that he “could not see eye to eye” to Monkayo Manuel “Junjun” Brillantes.

He said that on the contrary he and Brillantes have “leveled off” of their minds and have been meeting in one-on-one twosome of them unknown to the public.

He bared that Maricar,too has been in constant communication with the mayor’s brother Lito and the mayor’s sister Diel, the barangay captain of Olaycon, Monkayo.

Cong. Zamora defeated Lito Brillantes of the Liberal Party (Atienza wing)in the last 2007 polls (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: boardmember maricar zamora-apsay, cong way kurat zamora, gov. chiongkee uy, vice governor ramil gentugaya, way kurat, way kurat zamora, boardmember maricar zamora-apsay, cong. way kurat, gov. chiongkee uy, vice governor ramil gentugaya

NEWS: Compostela banana workers decry losing land, jobs by DAR- installed “dummies”

oct 13

Some 170 banana workers in Barangay Osmena in Compostela town

. Leaders of Namasco banana workers decry forcible takeover of their banana plantation in Compostela town during the press conference last Saturday with the Davao del Norte Press Radio and TV Club (DNRPC), Inc.at Cevannah Bar Café and Restaurant at Lapulapu St., Tagum City. At left is DNRPC chairman Greg “Loloy” Ybanez(Rural Urban News photo)

who are claiming to be the actual tillers of the land are protesting the forcible takeover to the 139–hectare of banana plantation by 159 “agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)” after earlier given with Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) by the Department of Agrarian Reform.

The plantation is then leased bv the Ayala-owned Davao Fruits Corporation until leasehold contracts expired and workers went on growership.

“Many of them are dummies, former DFC employees, already businessmen, even some area already living in Davao City and in United States,” said Zosimo Ombajin, president of the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Compostela (Namsaco) in a press conference after Saturday’s “Ipalanog sa Katawhan” press forum of the Davao del Norte Press, Radio and TV Club, Inc., (DNPRC) at Cevannah Bar Café and Restaurant in Tagum City.

Ombajin said that last August 11 the ARBs, accompanied by District 1 Cong. Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora and some policemen, allegedly went into breaking their barricade, disarmed their security guards and forcibly takeover a half of their supposed land.

“We were surprised on that day that the DAR installation order suddenly arrived ejecting us from the land we have been productively cultivating for many years,” said Ombajin.

Zamora accordingly accompanied the ARBs to help them be installed on the land as the CLOA holders due to the congressman’s promise in the last elections.

The 159 CLOA holders are accordingly girding to takeover the whole of the 139-hectare land, while the 170 actual workers are holding on working on half of the plantation area.

“As a result our families are now starving,” said complaining of scarce jobs and excess workers since they have already to be content on working a half the 139-hectare land.

On the same press conference, Pantaleon Libre Jr, an officer of Namasco, said that after the takeover the occupied land have already new workers of new growers from CLOA holders.

The actual workers though would still get the last harvest from the remaining bunches in the occupied land, he said.

“What we are demanding is that we should also be included as CLOA holders since it is us who made continuous possession and production over the land for the past ten years since 1998,” he said.

He said that CLOA holders are former DFC employees and workers who were already compensated by DFC as early as 1994 due to retrenchment, resignation or retirement.

“We were not informed on the CARP application nor had seen in the barangay bulletin board of any posting on DAR notice to put the land we have been actually working under CARP,” Ombajin said.

The Namasco has already petitioned the DAR central office to revoke the CLOA. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: comval banana growers, comval labor union, way kurat, way kurat zamora, compostela banana growers, dar comval, namasco, way kurat zamora

OPINION: Comval in Delano’s probe

oct 10

BLOGISTA
By Cha Monforte

Cong. Way Kurat Zamora’s chief of staff Robert Delano was shot and killed Wednesday while about to leave for Congress from his house at Kamuning Village in Quezon City. Our condolence to the bereaved family. I saw Robert for a couple of times or so when he was still young as chief of staff of former Cong. Roger M. Sarmiento. It was only the other day that I knew from reports that he was already a lawyer. He surely had studied law while working in Congress.

There’s that report that the Quezon City’s Task Force Delano would be extending its probe up to Comval as it included Diwalwal mining as one of the possible angles. From where I sit, it is remote and perhaps irresponsible police statement when Comval connection was right away included while initial leads have not yet been known. Cong. Way Kurat said that last weekend when he and Robert were biking in an outskirt there he knew that Robert had stopped and talked lengthily over his cellphone with someone. The police could have a good start on this.

Of course, all angles even if remote should be included in the probe. Robert didn’t know me and I’m not one of his friends in this side of the country. I just covered RMS then including the Sarmiento patriarch, grand old man in Davao politics, Don Enchong in the 80s. It was during RMS heyday in politics that I first saw Robert. During the late Don Enchong’s own heyday, I only saw Orlando Carvajal, Cleo Satina and other ex-priests employed in Sarmiento businesses. (I vividly remember now such run-around about a still unpaid full ad billing with Satina -where is he now?. Anyway, that was sure bad debts already after two decades).

I’m no chronicler in Way Kurat’s goings on in his first and second terms. From my sources, Robert seldom and rarely visited Comval even while being the Cong’s chief. I don’t also hear about Robert’s being one of the stakers in Diwalwal mining. In most possibility, Robert must have run afoul with someone in Manila and not in Comval.

Though including a Comval connection is a must to have a comprehensive police probe, that is, if the Quezon City police has not yet identified the motive and arrested the culprits until this writing, but this is sending troublesome implication to Comval knowing that it has still such so-called Comval Unity regardless of the divisive Ramil-Maricar positioning tiff.

The assailants must be immediately arrested, so that justice must be given to Robert who has served Comval by serving as chief of staff of RMS and Way Kurat.

BLOGBUZZ: Will Press Sec Jess Dureza come today or next week to grace for the Press Freedom affair of the National Press Club-Davao del Norte-Comval Chapter? Allan, there’s big problem in the world, which may gnaw at any moment. Our stock exchange might also crash, and it’s better to stockpile camotes now to survive. Sec. Dureza is badly needed there in Manila at the side of GMA today and tomorrow. But the good secretary if he comes can have good view of the present plight of our banana industry with the losing pole-vaulting banana growers… Comval’s vice governor’s post is also considered an open post for everybody among the incumbents to apply. The list of VG potentials is long: Cong. Way Kurat (although he was reported to be running for Compostela mayorship or for governoship itself, but don’t as ex-Gov. Joecab will also run for a three-corner fight ), Joecab himself (he’s willing if he runs in tandem with provincial elder Pros Amatong for gov), BM Maricar (if she’ll abandon her congressional bid so as not to wreck havoc to Comval unity and give the chance to VG Ramil as a gift for his fast approaching wedding this Oct. 18), former VG and BM Ruwel Peter Gonzaga, BM and No. 2 bartopnotcher Dexter Lopoz, BM Moran Takasan, Lito Brillantes, BM Armando Codilla (otherwise he’ll run to be back at Monkayo SB), Compostela Mayor Rey Castillo (if he’s not running as vice mayor in tandem with Way K or with VM Jess Bolo), and Nabunturan Mayor Macario Humol (although he’s reported to be eyeing to be the vice mayor of VM Romeo Clarin or Kons. Darwin Tan or Kons. Menchie Cabuga, who are eyeing for mayorship along with Kons. Raul Caballero) (For online edition, visit my blog at: http://cha4t.wordpress.com, email: chamonforte@yahoo.com, or ruralurbanews@yahoo.com)

Filed under: don enchong sarmiento, way kurat, way kurat zamora, enchong sarmiento, robert delano, roger sarmiento, way kurat

NEWS: Way Kurat: “I’m willing to face the SP” “But Joecab should also go there”

july 14

Compostela Valley Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora (1st District) has accepted the challenge of former Gov. Jose “Joecab” Caballero saying that he is very much willing to go to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to shed light about what he can remember during the meeting with Chinese-speaking investors and with President Arroyo herself during her visit to Compostela town last July 2006.

In that presidential visit, the President announced at Zamora’s congressional office that she was bringing with her investors of Chinese firm ZTE Corp interested to invest in mining ventures in the province.

In an interview over the weekend, Cong. Zamora said that Caballero was right in saying that the President came to visit her congressional office and was also right for passing the buck of the issue to the congressman but “with all respect to him, Caballero should also go there” referring to the SP which moved last week to conduct a legislative inquiry on the reported $1-billion mining project of ZTE Corp to Diwalwal.

Zamora suggested that since he is on the thick of marathon budget hearings at press time until October 11 and onwards Caballero should first face the SP so that his statements “could be put on the record” and “after that, file a motion for me to appear”.

“I’m willing to appear but I could not just be available due to the marathon hearings,” Zamora said.

Zamora said that during the presidential visit there was indeed a meeting that occurred inside his congressional office with the President and Chinese-speaking officials with their interpreters.

But, he said, he did not know what were the particular companies the Chinese-speaking visitors were representing for.

He said he was not the only the one who knew what transpired during the meeting since former 2^nd District Cong. Prospero Amatong and all the mayors were also there except Monkayo Mayor Manuel “Junjun” Brillantes.

Caballero, then governor at that time, was not invited to attend in Compostela visit of Arroyo but reports said that he and Brillantes had also met with ZTE investors at Marco Polo Hotel during the visit.

Caballero, in separate interview, denied he met with ZTE officials saying they were only having their lunch with Mayor Brillantes at the hotel while the President graced for the launching of the congressman’s earthworm and nursery project at his congressional office.

Currently, the ZTE Corp is embroiled anew of another controversy about its award of mining rights over 8,000 hectares of mineral reservation in Diwalwal a year after the firm figured in the anomalous NBN deal. The firm was accused of giving millions of bribe money to national officials including the President to bag the multi-billion NBN contract.

For its legislative probe, the SP entasked last week its environment committee to call Caballero, Finance Secretary Peter Favila, DENR Sec. Lito Atienza, former DENR Sec. Michael Defensor and others to shed light on the report of $1-billion deal of the ZTE Corp. for the mining rights over Diwalwal which the SP feared could trigger unease among Diwalwal miners if the report is not clarified.

The SP acted on following privilege speech of Boardmember Dexter Lopoz who notified his colleagues two weeks ago about the deal as first hinted by an editorial of the Philippine Star before the new ZTE controversy hit the current headlines.

Boardmember Neri Barte joined with Lopoz last week calling for legislative probe on ZTE’s Diwalwal deal which got the SP nod. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com

Filed under: joecab caballero, way kurat zamora, joecab caballero, um tagum sex scandal, way kurat zamora