A dramatic political upheaval has shaken the Oriental Mindoro Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) as the 12th Provincial Board stripped on Monday Vice Governor Atty. CA “Jojo” Perez Jr. of his power to appoint committee chairmanships, declaring all committee positions vacant in what critics are calling a “political mutiny.”

The move comes after Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor’s allied candidates secured majority control of the Provincial Board following the recent PCL election, with their Provincial Councilors League (PCL) candidate winning the presidency and paving the way for the administration’s dominance in the provincial legislature.

In an unprecedented move, the new board majority removed Vice Governor Perez’s traditional authority to appoint committee chairs, leaving him powerless despite his position as presiding officer.

“Ano ba ang gusto ninyo makuha kung kaya nais ninyo akong tanggalan ng authority?” Perez questioned during the heated session.

“Paano tayo magkakaisa kung ang presiding officer ay tinatanggalan ninyo ng awtoridad? Ang ipinaglalaban naman natin dito ay kabutihan at kapakanan ng lalawigan ng Oriental Mindoro,” the vice governor said.

Board Member Emmanuel “Manny” Buenaventura, a vocal critic of the administration, expressed dismay at the treatment of the Vice Governor.

“Naawa sa ginawa nila ni Vice Governor Jojo Perez. Na inalisan ng 100% karapatan pumili ng kanyang gustong bigyan ng committee, kahit sana mga committee bilang Vice Chairman lang ay hindi pinag bigyan,” Buenaventura lamented.

The political maneuvering appears to be directly linked to the contentious large-scale dredging operations that have divided Oriental Mindoro’s people and officials.

The provincial board had earlier passed a motion calling for the shutdown of operations pending further review, but Gov. Dolor said the board has no right to stop the dredging.

The dredging project, which Governor Dolor maintains is legal and necessary for flood control, has faced fierce opposition from environmental groups and some board members who argue it constitutes disguised commercial sand mining.

Residents of Gloria, Oriental Mindoro condemned the massive dredging project being pushed by their provincial government under the guise of flooding mitigation as unnecessary and questionably legal.

One of the most controversial moves was the removal of Board Member Anthony Yap from the chairmanship of the Environment Committee, a position he had held for just one month.

Yap, who has been actively investigating the dredging operations, was replaced as the majority moved to install more sympathetic leadership aligned with Dolor.

The environmentalists particularly criticized the appointment of Board Member Alely Casubuan as chairperson on Committee on Environment, citing her previous support for large-scale dredging operations during the 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

“Siyempre, malulungkot tayo kung talagang tatanggalin nila sa akin ng chairmanship ng environment,” BM Yap said.

BM Yap said: “Nakita ninyo naman po ang sigasig ng aking kasama na si Bokal Atty. Manny Buenaventura at ang inyong lingkod na si Bokal Anthony Yap. At gusto natin na maliwanagan, ito nangyayaring posibleng pagpasok ng mga dredging vessel dito sa ating probinsya ng Oriental Mindoro. Eh talagang nakalungkot dahil bakit minamadali ng ating majority mula sa kampo ng ating gobernador na Bonz Dolor, minamadali nilang agawin ang mga chairmanship na yan.”

Buenaventura noted that there is a continuation of practices from the previous 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, where minority members were similarly marginalized.

“Kagaya ng ginawa nila sa 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan na sinagasaan ang mga karapatan minority at hindi binigyan man lang kahit kalahati ng mga mahahalagang Committee. Ngayon 12th Sangguniang Panlalawigan ay nauulit muli. Hindi natin masisi sa laki ng ginastos mabawi lang ang Majority ng SP,” BM Buenaventura said.

THE BOTTOMLINE
The dredging controversy that triggered this political crisis centers on Governor Dolor’s administration’s push for what they term “river rehabilitation” projects.

“Dredging is governed by a separate legal framework and is not considered mining under the Mining Act of 1995,” said Dolor, citing input from the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

However, environmental groups and opposition board members argue that the operations constitute commercial sand mining disguised as flood control.

Some residents and environmental groups are worried that the project might be a case of sea sand mining disguised as “river dredging.”

The governor has defended the project as necessary for addressing chronic flooding issues that have plagued the province.

Governor Dolor maintains that the dredging is legal, beneficial, and necessary to address decades of flooding.

Despite the political setbacks, environmental advocates remain determined to oppose the dredging operations.

Buenaventura, speaking for concerned environmental groups, declared their continued resistance.

“Hindi tayo papayag na wasakin nila ang Mindoro. Hindi namin ito kayayanin na kami kami lang. Kailangan namin ang suporta ninyong lahat.”