News

Alberto Pinagawa, 54, a Higaonon "alimaong" (warrior) was repeatedly shot as he was walking down a remote road between Barangay Minalwang and Eureka. He was on his way down from his farm to his residence in the village of Kalipay at around 6 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24.

Pinagawa's nephew , who was with him, and a brother, who was trailing about 500 meters, escaped unharmed.

The Catholic Parishes in Gingoog City have called for the immediate investigation into the killings as parishioners also urged the city government to look into Pinagawa's allegations that areas reserved for logging under an Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) have overlapped with the Certificate of Ancestral Domain claims of the Higaonon tribe in Minalwang.

Since July 2009, Pinagawa had been at the forefront of exposing the logging of remaining old-growth trees, particularly that of balakbakon (lawaan) in the former logging concession of the Anakan Timber Corporation.

Pinagawa claimed that the logging has been spearheaded by the Southwood Timber Corporation that got an IFMA from the regional Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office. The IFMA stipulates that an area of about 11,476  hectares is to be logged by the STC for 25 years, from May 2009 to May 2033, while it establishes and maintains an industrial forest or a forest plantation.

Pinagawa had resisted the cutting of trees by the STC, claiming the area being logged was part of his tribe's ancestral domain claim.

Early in December, the parish of Anakan, which Pinagawa had been serving as a lay minister, gathered 25,000 signatures from residents who had opposed the continued logging of old-growth trees, in the area they considered to be a watershed.

According to family members, Pinagawa had received death threats as early as November when the signature campaign gathered steam.

Pinagawa sustained at least 20 entry wounds on his body and head, caused by M16 bullets

Updates

- Gingoog City Council withdrew their endorsement on the said IFMA project

- A CHR-region 10 investigation is in full swing after a meeting with Regional Director Atty Abrina last January 6, 2010.

- Filed the 25,000 signature to DENR Secretary for the immediate cancellation of STC’s IFMA permit. The said petition resulted to private investigating team set-up by the DENR.

- Sangguniang Panlalawigan proposed for a log ban in Misamis Oriental which is supported by Bishop Ledesma and the Clergy of the Archdiocese of CdO.

- Refiled the petition to the newly appointed DENR Secretary for an immediate resolution of the Illegal logging case

For additional information you may visit the blogsite we set-up for supporters and advocates at saveminalwang.blogspot.com or email carl/cocoi at cocoy.rebuta@lrc.ksk.org

Carl Cesar C. Rebuta

LRC-ksK, CdO Team Leader