Nueva Vizcaya lawmaker belittles Quirino’s territorial claims

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Nueva Vizcaya representative Carlos Padilla said on Sunday he is confident that the mineral rich village of Didipio in Kasibu town and its neighboring barangays belong to Nueva Vizcaya contrary to claims by the provincial government of Quirino. “The national government knows who has legal jurisdiction over the disputed areas, they know the real score," he said Padilla also reiterated that the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya has in its possession complete, even historical documents showing it has proprietary rights over Didipio and nearby barangays inside its territory. “The status quo on this matter is still and will continue to be enforced," he added. But Quirino Rep. Junie Cua in a recent statement declared, “When the people in Didipio were surveyed several years ago which province they want to be part of, they chose Nueva Vizcaya because the road there were better before, but now it’s different." Meanwhile, on the subject of Quirino as supposedly getting the lion’s share of OGP’s well funded social awareness projects in the area instead of the host province, Padilla said “it’s their (OGP) prerogative. They can extend support to whoever they want to help because we don’t mind," referring to Quirino’s capitol town of Cabbarroguis as the recipient of a 52-million budget for malaria and dengue prevention programs funded by Movement Against Malaria-Filipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (GFMAM-PSFI), in partnership with OceanaGold Philippines. On the other hand, Ramoncito Gozar, OceanaGold vice president for communications and external affairs said, “The program, which was started by the firm in 2006, has resulted in the dramatic decrease in the incidence of malaria and dengue (cases) in Barangay Didipio and its neighboring communities. Padilla however, said: “What we do mind in strongest terms is the destruction this mining activities has wrought in our environment and inflicting humiliation and human rights violations against the residents especially the indigenous people in the area." According to Padilla, a preliminary injunction has already been issued by the courts in the light of a human rights case filed against the foreign mining firm due to the alleged dismantling of at least 187 houses without due process. Situated along the borders of Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya, the mineral rich barangay Didipio can easily be reached via the Quirino route because of a multi-million road widening and improvements project by OGP. To date, host province Nueva Vizcaya’s Malabing route leading to the mine site is still in a sorry state.- GMANews.TV