Private firm, House staff survey Tadeco plantation

DAVAO CITY — A private surveyor, accompanied by House of Representatives employees, environment personnel and police, on Monday started a survey of roads leading to the Davao Penal Colony which traverse the plantation of Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco).

The survey came following letters from two House members — Johnny Pimentel and Reynaldo Umali — claiming the roads had been blocked by Tadeco.

Tadeco guards initially refused entry to the team but later allowed access to the plantation except for some areas considered as restricted to prevent contamination of seedlings.

Umali wrote a letter asking the Southern Mindanao police to “remove all roadblocks” leading to the Tadeco plantation.

Harassment

An unconfirmed report said a Tadeco gate had been destroyed.

The use of a private company for the survey, instead of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was questioned.

Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., whose family owned Tadeco, earlier said the company was being harassed as part of a plot to “dislodge my family from the banana business.” —Allan Nawal