Finally, we are able to upload ABS-CBN Bikol's coverage of the 12 December 2007 event when Rapu-Rapu residents, members of Sagip Isla, who were on their last day of the Kampong Bayan, barged into the People's Hall of the Albay Provincial Capitol and finally got a hearing from the dawdling Provincial Board Members.
Incidentally, BM Aytona, Chair of the Committee on the Environment was nowhere to be seen during the event. BM Aytona has been accused by Rapu-Rapu residents and environmentalists in Albay of protecting Lafayette's interest over that of the people of Rapu-Rapu.
On the same day, the Inquirer also ran a patently-Lafayette-sponsored press release "Give us jobs, Rapu-Rapu folk challenge militants" (12 December 2007, page A11). We suspect it was timed to undermine the gains of the Kampong Bayan. Poetic justice had its way when ABS-CBN ran this video report on several of its local and national news program. We also blogged a response to the press-release-turned-news-article, "Will the real leaders and residents of Rapu-rapu please stand up?" (http://saverapurapu.blogspot.com/2007/12/will-real-leaders-and-residents-of-rapu.html).
Video provided by Efraim Iglesia. Courtesy of Sagip Isla & UMALPAS KA - Bikol.
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