'Malacañang behind
signature drive for Cha-cha'
BY RENE GENOVE

The president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Oriental Negros chapter said he believes that Malacañang was behind the signature campaign to push for a change in the 1987 Constitution.

Rodrigo Icao, who said he was airing his own personal opinion and not that of the IBP chapter, reiterated that the people's initiative being pushed by public employees to change the Constitution was illegal.

Icao was reacting to the signature drive that highlighted the recent annual barangay assemblies of all 557 barangays in Oriental Negros.

Province bucks petition to
cancel quarry operation
BY RENE GENOVE

The Oriental Negros government has no basis for canceling the quarry operation at the Nagbalaye River in Sta. Catalina town, the Provincial Legal Office said, in dismissing the petition to cancel the operation.

Provincial legal officer Erwin Vergara said the Capitol has received the recommendations of an environmental inspector, Boy Noreco, who was sent to the province to verify the complaints raised by more than 30 residents and landowners along the banks of the Nagbalaye River.

Vergara said the Noreco's report to the Environment and Natural Resources Management Division of the province showed that the quarry operator, HN Construction, had complied with the conditions of the special permit issued by Gov. George Arnaiz. The HN Construction was allowed to do quarry operations in the river to decongest it of deposited sand and gravel that affect water flow.

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