Anti-mining advocates secure local government seats in Palawan

Anti-mining advocates in southern Palawan secured key local government posts after winning in last Monday’s elections.

Based on a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Cesario Benedito Jr. and Mary Jean Feliciano were proclaimed Mayor and Vice Mayor-elect in Brooke’s Point, indicating a win for anti-mining advocates.

Benedito won with 18,125 votes, defeating acting mayor Jaja Quiachon by 516 votes, while Feliciano bagged her seat with 21,681 votes against opponent Rogelio Badua’s 14,448 votes.

Feliciano was ousted from office in July 2021 after the Office of the Ombudsman found her guilty of oppression or grave abuse of authority after stopping Ipilan Nickel Coporation’s operations in 2018.

In Narra, meanwhile, Gerandy Danao was re-elected as mayor after his 14-month suspension in 2020 for issuing an unauthorized permit to a cockfighting arena.

During the campaign period, Danao vowed to end mining in the town, as well as to stand against a local mining company after receiving complaints from local farmers that the operations of the mining company have affected the harvest in one barangay.

In 2019, Danao ordered Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation to settle its unpaid taxes worth Php94 million prior to its permit renewal in January 2020.

Photo of Cesareo Benedito Jr. from Facebook

Photo of Mary Jean Feliciano from Philippine News Agency