Entries from September 2007

September 28, 2007

Tip of iceberg

Nueva Vizcaya tribe begs for action on Casecnan fund scam
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Officials and tribal elders of the Bugkalot community in remote Alfonso Castañeda town are growing edgy over the delayed resolution of a case filed against their former mayor involving the alleged misuse of P30.7 million in local funds.
Mayor Jerry Pasigian, a [...]

September 26, 2007

Buying N. Vizcaya’s IPs

Mine firms dangle cash to get tribes’ nod
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Foreign firms that are attempting to conduct mining exploration in ore-rich areas in the province have devised a way in getting the approval of affected tribal communities: give them money.
Documents showed that in the villages of Papaya and Pao in upland Kasibu town, where two mining [...]

September 26, 2007

Prolonging the agony

Village execs urge Senate to postpone barangay, SK polls
SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya — The national assembly of the federation of barangay (village) chairpersons in the country has urged the Senate to support a proposal to postpone elections for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK or youth council) officials scheduled next month.
In a September 20 resolution, the Liga [...]

September 25, 2007

Divine intervention

Bishop steps in as Vizcaya mining row gets violent
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Catholic Bishop Ramon Villena had to finally step in to resolve a mining conflict between tribal groups in the province and an Australian mining firm.
Villena had a hastily-called dinner with President Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang on Wednesday to seek her help in solving the mining conflict [...]