SB declares PA officers persona non grata
ARMY, BINMALEY RIFT WIDENS
THE Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) here passed a resolution declaring two Army officers persona non grata for snubbing their invitations to shed light on complaints of townsfolk over “militarization” in the beach area here beside their camp.
Mayor Simplicio Rosario told The PUNCH Friday he signed the resolution unanimously approved Tuesday by the municipal council led by Vice Mayor Pedro Merrera III declaring persona non grata Lt. Col. Edgardo Batenga, battalion commander of the 70th IB and Capt. Laurencio Panit Jr., company commander, based at Camp Andres Malong Army Reservation in Barangay San Isidro Norte this town.
Earlier, the local government officials here and the Army officers had a rift about dumping of garbage along the Army reservation site. This, after Batenga reported in letter with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office for violation of Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste and Ecological Act which the town is reportedly violating by dumping collected wastes in a portion of the 19-hectare Army reservation.
But Mr. Rosario said, “This (latest invitations of the municipal council) is not about garbage because that matter has been resolved because we had already complied with it.”
“The issue here is why are they militarizing the beach area near the camp? The people are threatened,” the mayor said.
Mr. Rosario said he had been receiving complaints from residents in the area and beachgoers about alleged militarization of the vicinity where the Army camp is located near the beach and presence of members of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit brandishing long firearms intimidate the people and visitors.
Fishermen also reportedly complained about being refused to by the Army to enter the area.
Panit told the KBP Forum that Batenga was in Davao so he attended the SB session given the first invitation, but he was not given the chance to speak at all and the councilors insisted on Col. Batenga’s presence.
When a second invitation was sent, Batenga wrote the SB a letter and instead sought a dialogue with town officials even as he accused the SB members of berating his representatives who attended their session the first time in his behalf.
Ignoring Batenga’s letter request, the SB sent a third invitation and it was Batenga’s continued absence that prompted the SB to adopt the resolution declaring Batenga and Panit persona non grata in Binmaley.
Batenga reacted sharply to the resolution and said he found it ironic that those seeking to enforce the law are the ones being punished and declared persona non grata.
The invitation of the SB to the Army was to get an explanation from the Army why it prohibits civilians from entering and using the beach area, citing the placards posted by the Army near their camp prohibiting the entry of civilians.
In an earlier statement aired on local television, Col. Batenga said he was standing pat on PA’s stand that the beach sheds being rented out in the area one considered illegal in violation of RA 7479 that declares that military camps are not for commercial use.
Batenga said the municipal government is tolerating squatting in an area that is outside its jurisdiction.
Reacting to the issue, lawyer Napoleon Arenas who was at the forum said it is the national law that prevails in this case, sustaining the side of the Army, citing the postulate which says, “basic is the rule that local ordinances should be consistent with national laws”.
Mr. Rosario said the town officials are open to lifting the persona non grata declaration with Panit “but not with Batenga” for his alleged arrogant stance. (Tita Roces/ Leonardo Micua)
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