ATENEO WARNED VS. MAAS

MYVIEWS

Archbishop Capalla’s forgers

duping Jesuit institution

“Davao farmers who are in Manila to push for a nationwide ban of aerial spraying of pesticides get support from students of Ateneo de Manila University.”

This is the lead of news reports published in local dailies this week in Davao City.

The Jesuit-run Ateneo should be careful about dubious groups masquerading as environmentalists using the revered institution for personal greed.

“Seeking for divine help while representatives of Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spray (MAAS) patiently wait for action from Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, the students belonging to the Ateneo Student Catholic Action offered a holy mass and lighted candles at the Ateneo College Chapel recently, praying to put an end on the practice of dispersing pesticides from an aircraft in banana plantations in Mindanao,” said the report.

We pity the Ateneans who are ignorant about MAAS and its leader Dagohoy Magaway and the kind of swindlers hiding behind this so-called NGO. Three years ago, while the aerial spraying issue was at the center of heated debate in Davao City, Magaway bared an alleged pastoral leader signed by Archbishop Capalla supporting the ban on aerial spraying. Capalla would later disown his signature and slammed Magaway and Maas as forgers.

The report follows with our comments to warn the Ateneans about being misguided by Maas:

“Aerial spraying aims to rid banana crops of the Sigatoka fungus but causes proven health and environmental problems since harmful chemicals are indiscriminately applied with no distinction between pests and humans.”

The Department of Health in Region XI, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) and a Special Investigating Team created by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte have conducted studies to deny claim of risk to health and environment from aerial spraying.

“AtSCA and Development Society among others, joined the clamor to stop what has been called “toxic rain” and committed to launch a signature drive and spread information about the plight of communities affected by aerial spraying through various communities and social networking tools.”

In Davao City, residents know what is toxic rain: the lies and black propaganda levelled by Maas and its sister the Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) against the banana industry which feeds and employs thousands of people and brings in export revenues of about $400 million annually.

“As an organization rooted in faith that does justice, AtSCA stands by MAAS and pledge to support their quest for human rights, including the right not to be poisoned with hazardous substances, by telling others about their stories and hopes,” said Michelle Roque, president of AtSCA.

By hurling mud to cripple or kill the banana industry, MAAS is guilty of violating the basic human rights to live and survive through gainful employment and the right to live sans hunger.

“We promise to spread awareness about the issue and to help the victims of aerial spraying in Mindanao in whatever way we can,” added Cherryl Si, president of the Development Society.

Yes, and even Ms. Si herself should be enlightened and she could avoid being a fool if she comes down to Davao City to personally learn the truth about aerial spraying from actual experience and knowledge and not through the forger Magaway and his Maas.

“In a statement, AtSCA called on the banana industry “to prioritize the welfare of the people over any profit-generating strategy” that undermines the rights of the people.”

Without the banana industry in the Davao Region, the right and welfare of the people to live decent lives is lost. Maas’ ultimate aim is to kill the industry, cause unemployment and sow economic chaos, a formula that enemies of the state use to  topple the government. Is Maas a front of the communist rebels?

“We invite banana planters to explore alternatives to aerial spraying since these are equally effective in ridding crops of pests as seen in Bukidnon and North Cotabato where banana plantations continue to thrive despite compliance to provincial bans,” said AtSCA.

This is another misinformation brought to Manila by Magaway to gain ears to his demented logic that lies can win the battle for him against aerial spraying. There are at present aerial spraying applications in Bukidnon and Central Mindanao.

“AtSCA cited a recently released study commissioned by the Department of Health that showed traces of pesticides in blood of residents and in air and water samples in Sitio Camocaan, Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. The study recommended a ban on aerial spraying and a shift to organic farming methods to protect public health.”

The DOH in Region XI has disowned any role in the study whose findings were never validated. The alleged environmentalist-toxicologists behind the study are now in the Most Wanted List of residents of Camocaan in Hagonoy who have resented the falsity hurled against the industry that has brought—not threats–but peace and progress and development to their communities.

“Representatives of the Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League, Ateneo Christian Ministry Group, Youth For Christ—Ateneo, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Loyola Schools, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan, and the Office of Social Concern and Involvement also joined the solidarity mass and candle lighting. Members of the Alternative Research for Empowerment, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution, EcoWaste Coalition, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Green Families and Communities Network, Interface Development Interventions and Mother Earth Foundation also came for prayer.”

There are always two sides to a coin in scams THE CONMEN AND THE VICTIMS. As an institution of learning considered as the best in the country, Ateneo should advise its students to lead the fight against the conmen using the institution to peddle lies against an industry upon which hundreds of thousands of people depend for survival.