Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza will be elevating the worsening power problem in the province to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) after reports confirmed the increase in crime rate in the area of Malitubog-Maridagao (MalMar) Irrigation Project due brownouts.

During the 6th Meeting of the Implementation Monitoring Advisory Group (IMAG) for Malmar held recently at the capitol rooftop, Amas, Kidapawan City, Lt. Col. Benjamin Hao, the Commanding Officer of the 7th Infantry Battalion confirmed the rise in crime rate especially in Pikit due to blackouts.

Hao recounted that several incidents like grenade throwing in a mosque, the road-block hold-up in Gen. Luna, Carmen; the shooting in the barangays of Inug-ug and Batulawan in Pikit and extortion also in Pikit all happened during nights where the power was off.

“All these incidents happened during brownouts that’s why we will be talking to the Cotabato Electric Cooperative”, Col Hao said.

In the same occasion, Governor Taliño-Mendoza has directed Col. Hao and also the PNP to immediately submit to her office documented reports confirming such occurrences so that subsequent recommendation will be forwarded to the office of Hon. Secretary Luwalhati Antonino of MinDa.

“Cotabato province was not spared from the blackouts despite being host to Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plants.  I will be asking MinDa’s immediate intervention especially so that the peace and order in MalMar area is already at stake”, declared the Governor.

In recent months, Governor Taliño-Mendoza has expressed her opposition to the proposed opening of Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant 3 and the privatization of the Agus-Pulangi Power Plant as these she said will not solve the power problem besetting the Mindanao Region.  //ozg/idcd-pgo//