BY RAYMOND AFRICA

INTERIOR Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday ordered the creation of a task force to investigate charges and countercharges of extortion and bribery in connection with the proposed construction of a $2 billion shipyard in Misamis Oriental.

Puno said Task Force Tagovill will be headed by PNP Director Jefferson Soriano with PNP-CIDG director Chief Supt. Raul Castañeda as deputy task force chief.

Senior Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel, also of the CIDG, will serve as chief investigator.

Puno ordered the creation of the task force after President Arroyo last Wednesday received reports that Mayor Paulino Emano of Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental was demanding huge amounts from Korean-based Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. for the permits for the construction of what has been billed as the "world’s largest shipyard."

When confronted by the President, Emano said it was Hanjin which tried to bribe him with some P400 million to continue with its operations without the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and other required papers.

Puno said the President was fuming mad after hearing of the alleged extortion try by Emano.

"To date, Hanjin has stopped its operations. They were actually in the process of clearing the eight-hectare area before putting up the shipyard. The project will generate some 40,000 jobs," Puno said.

Puno also tasked PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr. to order the administrative relief of Chief Insp. Claudio Mariquit, chief of police of Tagaloan, and Senior Insp. Nannette Odchigue, chief of Villanueva town, to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.

The Regional Mobile Group in Region 10 was deployed to secure Hanjin’s facilities.

Puno said the PNP will investigate the assault on a Hanjin employee by Emano’s men last Saturday.

Hanjin, which also has a shipyard project in Subic Bay, is the proponent of the $2 billion shipyard project being put up at the boundaries of the municipalities of Tagaloan and Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.

Sen. Pia Cayetano said President Arroyo should have ordered a probe instead of scolding Emano who she said was only standing his ground and enforcing the laws on local government and environment.

"The President is playing deaf and dumb again to what could possibly be another bribery attempt brought to her attention," she added.