GMA inaugurates P3.4-billion Cotabato dam

COTABATO CITY — President Arroyo inaugurated yesterday the P3.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao irrigation project in Carmen town of North Cotabato, delayed for 12 years by nagging security problems.

President Arroyo, along with key members of her Cabinet, including Public Works Secretary Simeon Datumanong, led the ceremonial switching on of the control for the flood gate of the irrigation project.

The President said she is optimistic that the project would accelerate the economic growth of farming communities in areas serviced by the facility.

Started in 1989, the Japanese-funded project was repeatedly abandoned due to bloody squabbles of soldiers and Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels for strategic spots surrounding the Mal-Mar dam site in Barangay Kibines, Carmen.

The troubles around the project site started when a group of MILF rebels, led by Kagi Magandingan Manalos opposed its completion fearing it will only result in the displacement of local farmers.

In November 1994, Manalos and his followers held hostage for two weeks seven Koreans working at the project site and used them as "human shields" to forestall a military offensive aimed at driving them away.

The Army’s 602nd Brigade was moved into Barangay Kibines to clear the area from rebel occupation. Ensuing sporadic rebel-military clashes in the area, which waned only in 1997, have resulted in the deaths of 213 MILF guerrillas, 56 soldiers and displaced thousands of innocent civilians.

It took eight low-level peace pacts, brokered by then Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Paul Dominguez and local officials, to pave the way for the resumption of construction works in the area.

Last June, Zhang Zhung Quiang, the Chinese operations manager of the firm that completed the project, was snatched by armed men not far away from the project site and was killed, along with his compatriot, Xue Xing, by their captors last August during a chance encounter with soldiers dispatched to rescue them.

Xue Xing and three others, one of whom escaped during the encounter, were snatched by the same group while about to pay a P5 million ransom in exchange for the release of Zhang.

Two of the victims, Edwin Lim and Zhang Zhung Yi, are still being held captive by the same group.

President Arroyo, who graced yesterday’s closing program here of the 10th Mindanao Business Conference, said she is certain that the operation of the Mal-Mar Project will also stabilize peace and order in Carmen and nearby towns, badly affected by last year’s military-MILF hostilities in North Cotabato. — John Unson