Taiwan firm stirs suspicion in Agusan town

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—A Taiwanese firm seeking to establish a presence here is being closely watched by government officials who are suspicious of what the company really intends to do in this town.

A source at the town hall said officials of Sky Forward Exports, who have been following up the company’s permit applications, have given contradicting statements on the real nature of the company’s business here.

The source said in one instance, company officials told them that Sky Forward Exports would be engaged in the export of minerals while in another meeting, they were told the company would just buy minerals dug up from the 1,658-hectare Mt. Magdiwata for  export by another firm.

Many town officials are in agreement that there must be bigger reasons for the Taiwanese company’s desire to gain footing here and among these is the actual extraction of gold from the gold rush area on Sumabong River in Barangay Alegria.

The village forms part of the area of Mt. Magdiwata.

“It will always be a big no for me,” Mayor Jenny de Asis said when asked about whether the company would be allowed to directly extract minerals, specifically gold, from here. Chris Panganiban, Inquirer Mindanao