Bishop Odchimar - Resolution No. 14-S-2008 Cantilan, Surigao del Sur

Manifesto: The Truth
In Defence of His Excellency, Most Reverend Bishop Nereo Odchimar, DD, JCD, MBA

We publicly denounce and condemn the irresponsible accusations of the members of the Association of Barangay Captain, (ABC) of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, against His Most Reverend Bishop of Diocese of Tandag, Nereo P. Odchimar, DD, JCD, MBA, contained in their Resolution No. 14-S-2008. dated July 11, 2008.

1    The statement addressing the most reverend Bishop of Tandag as "unbecoming" is uncalled for preposterous, bizarre and constitutes a highest form of mockery and irreverence to the hierarchy of the church.

2    The Resolution was haphazardly prepared and maliciously signed by a person who has no authority to certify and approve it thus irregular under any given parliamentary rules and procedure. The President of the ABC, who was the presiding officer on record, cannot waive his authority to any of the member of the association to hide from any official responsibility. He must. at all times be accountable to the people and expected to serve with u1most responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency (See. 1, Art. XI of the Constitution);

3    The act of the good bishop endorsing the petition of the National Irrigation Administration (NIAI to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on December 28. 2007 against mining the watershed, was part of his moral responsibility and accountability as pastor and shepherd of the diocese, no more. no less;

4    That aside from the endorsement of the bishop, series of petitions. resolutions and position papers strongly opposing any mining activity in Cantilan were sent to her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary, and the Directors of Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB) and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), coming from the multi-sectoral groups, e.g. Cantilan Irrigation System Federation of Irrigator's Association (CISFIA), the LGU of Cantilan, CarCanMadCarlan BAYWATCH Foundation, Couples for Christ, Lovers of Nature Foundation and more to follow. The series of information, education and signature campaign against Marcventures Mining Development Corporation (MMDC) and Carac-an Development Corporation (CDC) will not stop until their Mineral Product Sharing Agreements (MPSA) are cancelled;

5    Moreover, on July 9, 2008, Datu Daenganan, Chairman of the Provincial Tribal Council of Surigao del Sur and Caraga Tribal Mountain Dwellers Ancestral Domain Claim (CTMD), based in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur, filed a case against MGB-13 (Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Region 13) for gross violation of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, IPRA law, NCIP Adm. Order No. 01-06. and the RA 6713, citing among others the act of MGB in reinstating the MPSA of MDC and CDC without the required Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) from the concerned/affected ICCs/IPs;

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