Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine
Star) - January 10, 2018 - 12:01am
MANILA, Philippines — The government
may have based its allegations against two logging firms on “premature”
conclusion, DMCI chairman Isidro Consunji said in a phone interview yesterday.
DMCI is the mother company of South
Davao Development Company Inc. (Sodaco) and Sirawai Plywood & Lumber Corp.
(SPLC) in Sibuco, suspended by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) on President Duterte’s orders.
“I’m not aware of that,” he said,
referring to the suspension. “I already asked our people in the area and they
said that our operations are very far from what they are referring to,”
Consunji told The STAR.
“The secretary’s conclusion may be
premature,” he said, referring to agriculture chief Emmanuel Piñol. “They
should study and investigate it first before (they decide).”
Consunji said they will wait for an
official order from the DENR before making further comment.
“We don’t know the findings yet. I
don’t know what they are saying and I am not aware of any violation,” he said.
In a statement yesterday, Sodaco
belied Piñol’s declaration that logging operations of the Consunji family were
to blame for the deadly flooding and landslides in the Zamboanga peninsula,
particularly in the towns of Sirawai, Siocon, Sibuco and
Balinguian.
Sodaco said it has been operating in
the Zamboanga peninsula for 11 years, and this was the first time that a flood
and landslide of this magnitude had ever occurred in the area.
It said attributing the flood,
landslide and casualties to Sodaco’s clearing operation without scientific
proof or due process was unfair and irresponsible.
The firm said flooding and
landslides “were very likely to happen” in the region, judging from the fact
that total rainfall from Dec. 22 to 24, 2017 was three times the normal monthly
rainfall of 299 millimeters in the area.
It said the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) itself had
predicted the possibility of flooding and landslides in the area.
“In its Dec. 21, 2017 forecast,
PAGASA issued a stern warning of possible floods and landslides in Eastern
Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Caraga region, Zamboanga peninsula and Southern
Palawan,” Sodaco said.
“With prompt and appropriate
disaster response (preemptive evacuation), the deaths in Sirawai, Siocon and
Sibuco could have been prevented,” it added.
In its statement, Sodaco also
claimed that Sirawai, Siocon, Sibwuco and Balinguian are considered flood prone
areas because of their relatively flat elevation compared to sea level.
“With the prolonged heavy rainfall, flash floods are to be expected in the said
towns,” it pointed out.
“Sodaco has a reforestation project
and plantation in Zamboanga peninsula. It has planted 306,360 rubber trees and
7,980 African oil palms, which translate to at least 622 hectares of reforested
land,” the company’s statement read.
“The alleged denuded areas are the
prepared sites for plantation development. In fact, we are scheduled to plant
more rubber trees, palm oil trees and forest trees in the said areas once the
rainy season sets in,” Sodaco maintained.
“Unfortunately, such vegetative
measures are not enough to offset the impact of a severe storm like Typhoon
Vinta,” it added.
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