Shahani bewails SP’s lack of quorum

By Virgilio Sar. Maganes

LINGAYEN- Sanguniang Panlalawigan member Ranjit Ramos Shahani chided his colleagues for not attending their regular session last February 6, causing it to adjourn early due to lack of quorum.

Shahani who was about to deliver his privilege speech regarding the controversial black sand mining in Sabangan, Malimpuec, Capandanan and Estanza villages in Lingayen, suspected that the lack of quorum was deliberate on the part of the other members of the SP.

“I am not categorically saying that they boycotted the session because I will deliver a privilege speech but the event that led to a non-quorum was suspicious,” Shahani said.

Before the adjournment of the session, present in the Session Hall were Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., Board Members Mijamito Libunao (4th District), Danilo C. Uy (5th District), Clemente Arboleda, Jr. (5th District) ,Raul Dizon (2nd District), Ranjit Ramos Shahani (6th District) and Angel Baniqued (3rd District and majority floor leader).

Majority floor leader Angel Baniqued announced a ten-minute break for the Sangguniang Secretariat to call the other members of the Sangguniang Bayan who were seen earlier in their offices at the Capitol.

“Who will not suspect a deliberate boycott when those present in their offices did not attend the session . Board Members Alfonso Bince and Von Mark Mendoza were seen earlier in their respective offices and Board Member Salvador Perez III arrived also,” Shahani said.

He added, “It became worse that during our lunch at the SP lounge, Board Member Raul Sison threw a bottle of mineral water and raised his clenched fist and dared me to a fight. It was a misdemeanor of a public official that I could not let it pass. What surprised me was that Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan was also at the lounge and said nasty words at me.”

However, the said incident was denied by SP member Raul Sison in a phone patch interview the following day which was aired over GMA’s Primera Balita.

“I did not throw any bottle. Accidentally, my hand bumped a glass of water that spilled. I resented Ranjit’s badmouthing me,” Sison said in that statement.

Shahani said that the denial of Sison was absurd. “Did he mean that I was concocting the story? I will refer this matter to the SP Committee on Ethics.”

On February 7, Shahani called for a press conference, in Dagupan City and Urdaneta City, where he aired his sentiments and clarified issues about the black sand mining before the media practitioners of Pangasinan.

He said that he was not against Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. whom he said he gives much respect. “I will support him on a project by project basis.”

He said that Governor Espino was maybe acting in good faith when he ordered the continuance of the separation of black sand (magnetite) from that of the soil for the golf course site.

“ In my privilege speech I should have talked about ‘completed staff work’ of Governor Espino’s personnel. They should at least know the various basic requirements on the projects they are implementing. The golf course has no environmental compliance certificate(ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). More so, the extraction of black sand has no ECC so with the presence of the extraction machines,” Shahani explained.

He further said that he is not against the golf course and the eco-tourism projects as these were proposed by his uncle former President Fidel Valdez Ramos, “but at least basic requirements on environmental laws must be followed and observed.”

He urged the media to be very vigilant in the implementation of projects in the province particularly those that pertains to environment.