Sicogon island owners, residents reach compromise

MANILA, Philippines — Majority owners of tourist destination Sicogon Island and local residents have reached a compromise after holding a dialogue at the provincial capitol in Iloilo City. Online news site The News Today (www.thenewstoday.info) reported the compromise was reached Wednesday noon at a meeting brokered by Msgr. Meliton Oso of the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo. Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas attended the meeting, which came a day after some 300 Sicogon residents walked all the way from Carles town, about 120 kilometers north of the city. The inhabitants started their march Wednesday last week to highlight their alleged eviction from the island to pave the way for foreign investors. Also, the inhabitants accuse the island's owner, the Sicogon Development Corporation (Sideco) of harassing them, evicting them from their houses and preventing them from tending to their farms. Sideco denied the accusations. Resident Amelia de la Cruz alleged that Sideco's security guards either burned or destroyed their houses including the fences. Thelma Bacinillo said Sideco evicted her from her house and confiscated her farm animals and some personal property. Elsa Bulaqueño said Sideco's guards threatened to shoot her two minor sons. But Sideco president Edgardo Sarrosa denied all these. He stressed that they had not been harassing the inhabitants, nor forcing them out of their houses. Oso said the problem between the inhabitants and Sideco hinged mainly on alleged harassment by Sideco's private security guards; and eviction of some residents from their houses and farms. Sarrosa said Bacinillo and anybody else claiming to have been displaced can return to their houses and continue possessing the land without fear of being evicted. He added Bacinillo can have her farm animals back, and assured inhabitants that they will not be harmed by Sideco's security guards. "Nothing will happen to you," he said. The 1,160-hectare island was a top tourist destination in the 1970s. It has its own airstrip and hordes of foreign tourists came to the island during its heydays. - GMANews.TV