Swiss firm denies investment plans in former MILF camp

MANILA, Philippines — Swiss mining firm Solway Investment Group yesterday denied reports it is planning to invest in a banana plantation at a former camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindanao.

“The Group is not participating, neither directly nor indirectly, in the project in question,” Solway said in a statement posted on its website.

“Solway Investment Group does not have any other joint interests or projects with TechIron and Robert Gaspar in the Philippines. TechIron is not authorized to make investments in the name of Solway Investment Group without having sought prior approval from the group’s shareholders for these actions,” it said.

The statement was issued after Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol identified Solway and TechIron as two of the Swiss and Russian investor groups that are interested to put up an P8-billion banana plantation in Camp Abubakar, the main base of the MILF.

Piñol said Solway and a Russian business group, represented by French-Russian businessman Robert Gaspar, expressed interest to convert the 7,000 hectares of Camp Abubukar into a banana plantation.

Gaspar, on the other hand, has been tagged as one of the leaders of the Kremlevskaya criminal group, which allegedly laundered money from drug trafficking in Europe.

He has been accused of fraud and money laundering in Spain, according to Open Media website.

Gaspar is said to be the right-hand man of the Eastern European mafia, the website said.

Piñol noted the allegations against Gaspar as he announced the Department of Agriculture (DA) is now open to finding new potential investors for the planned banana plantation.

“The DA is just assisting the Bangsamoro landowners in the development of their area which has been neglected for ages. The decision to engage with the group or not is theirs, not DA’s,” Piñol told The STAR.

“If they are not comfortable with this group, I am sure the DA could help them find other investors,” he added.

Piñol said there are already other groups who have expressed interest in the project and other business opportunities in the Bangsamoro area following the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Piñol, however, did not elaborate or name the new potential investors.

“But what leaves me wondering where all of these negative reports are coming from. Gaspar and TechIron have been in the Philippines for seven years now. Why were these issues not raised before?” he remarked.

Piñol earlier defended Gaspar, emphasizing that the French-Russian businessman holds a valid visa to stay and do business in the country.

“Gaspar said he has all the documents from pertinent agencies clearing him of the allegations,” he said.

Piñol said National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. is aware of the issues surrounding Gaspar.

“But he (Esperon) admitted that beyond the derogatory reports and allegations, nothing has been established,” Piñol said.

Piñol said Gaspar is not the main investor in the project and is just facilitating the entry of Russian investors.

Interviewed by The STAR on Thursday night, Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev said he was not aware of the details of the reported P8-billion banana plantation project in the country.

Last week, Piñol announced that foreign investors are all set to develop an P8-billion banana plantation in Mindanao, which is seen as the first big investment in the Bangsamoro area following the ratification of the BOL.

The project is expected to be launched on Feb. 16 in Camp Abubakar, with an initial 1,000 hectares for development.

The P8-billion project is expected to provide employment to at least 10,000 people. – Louise Maureen Simeon, Jose Rodel Clapano