MINDANAO DAILY TRUTH | JUSTICE | PROGRESS
Volume XII, No. 050
www.mindanaodailynews.com
Thursday, September 15, 2022
P15.00
Tampakan project developer ‘owes’ LGU P397M in taxes Intensified raids vs smuggling, sale of illegal cigarettes pursued OPERATIVES of a working group assigned to curb rampant cigarette smuggling in mindanao raided a big grocery in Maragusan town, Davao de Oro allegedly owned by two government officials. The raid was part of the renewed and sustained operations by local officials and law enforcement authorities in response to a directive issued by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos against smuggling. In its updated accomplishment report, “Oplan Megashopper,” a buy-bust scheme to curtail the rampant cigarette smuggling and sale of illicit cigarettes in Mindanao said the maragusan raid seized six cases of president, an illegal brand of cigarettes. The august 2 raid was conducted by Bureau of Customs
2 Agusan solons bats for nationalized upland farmers dev’t program By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN Contributing Editor
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur -- The two lawmakers of this province have pushed for the institutionalization in the entire country of the award-winning Upland Sustainable Agriforestry Convergence Program (USAD). Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur’s 2nd District and Rep. Alfelito Bascug of the province’s 1st District filed House Bill 3489, an act establishing the USAD program nationwide. They believe this bill will improve poor farmers’ economic plight in upland communities. Rep. Richard Gomez of Ormoc City and ten other lawmakers have co-authored the USAD bill. Last year, the USAD program, which helped some 5,000 farmers in the hinter-
(BOC) district commander of enforcement and security services Jah Atencia, under the supervision of BOC Davao district collector Atty. Erastus Austria. The raiding team was joined by the Philippine navy – Eastern Mindanao Command. In other simultaneous raids, the joint forces of BOC and the Philippine Navy confiscated 12 cases of assorted illegal brands of cigarettes in the towns of Sto. Tomas, Dujali and Talaingod in Davao del Norte. Seized brands of hot items were Soda, Fort, Canon, Wilson, New Orleans, President, Royal, New Aris and Delta. Operatives likewise raids stalls of 13 wholesalers of illicit cigarettes in Tagum City and Carmen,
See RAIDS, page 11
By BONG S. SARMIENTO MindaNews
KORONADAL CITY – The local government unit of Tampakan in South Cotabato has demanded tax dues worth P397 million from Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI), operator of the controversial $5.9-billion Tampakan project. The bid of the local government to collect the amount has been questioned by the mining firm before a local court. Tampakan Mayor Leonard Escobillo confirmed Wednesday they already received last week a copy of the civil case filed by SMI against the LGU. Escobillo earlier ordered the Office of the Municipal Treasurer to review the taxes paid by all business See OWES, page 11
4 killed, 3 injured in MisOr road mishap
land areas of the province become more productive, was picked as one of the top 10 outstanding local By CRIS DIAZ Executive Editor governance programs of the Galing Pook Awards CAGAYAN DE ORO spearheaded by the DepartCITY: Four passengers ment of Interior and Local were killed, one injured in Government. a road mishap along the In their joint press statenational highway in Balment, the two solons said ingasag, Misamis Oriental the program would pave early Tuesdsy morning the way for underprivileged (Sept 13, 2022). upland communities to reA police report identicover faster from calamities, fied the fatalities as Bertley participate in protecting Jerome Esperat, 30, driver the environment, and fight of the Starex van bearing poverty. plate number KEG 531, In his privileged speech, Lucille Rosete Cardinales, Plaza particularly cited that 53, all of Bulua, Cagayan it is currently assisting about de Oro, Estela Dalangin, 5,000 farmer-enrollees and 57, and Erika Manangkin, has been instrumental in 28, all of Medina, Misamis reducing poverty in Agusan Oriental. They all died del Sur from 45 percent in See MISHAP, page 11 2016 to 32.4 percent in 2018. WRECK. A Hyundai Starex van is a total wreck after a collision with a trailer truck early Tuesday morning. Plaza shared how USAD TOTAL All four passengers of the van died on the spot. Three survived, two from the trailer truck while one from the Starex See BATS, page 11
van. Contributed Photo