Itogon pushes revocation of 2 firms’ mining MOA
>> Wednesday, August 3, 2016
By Susan C. Aro
ITOGON,
Benguet – Folks of this mining town backed the call of council of elders and
community members of Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources and the National Commission on Indigenous
Peoples for revocation and withdrawal of consent of mining application of
two companies in the area.
Officials of Ampucao led by barangay chairman
Eddie Amuasen passed a resolution strongly supporting and endorsing the
statement of the council of elders, surface claimants and community residents
for the office of the NCIP and MGB-DENR to deny the application of the Omico
Corporation and the Macawili Gold Mining and Development Company, Inc.
(MGMDCI).
Barangay Resolution No. 25 series of 2016 is
entitled, ‘Revocation of consent as contained in a memorandum of agreement
dated Oct. 17, 2006 between the Indigenous Peoples and Landowners of Ampucao,
Itogon and Omico Corporation.”
The reason for the revocation and withdrawal
of consent was gross violation of the terms and conditions of the MOA.
The council of elders and the community
members claimed there was utter disregard by said companies on the rights not
only of the host indigenous peoples but all surface owners and claimants within
the area under the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement(MPSA).
Omico
accordingly illegally utilized the consent to apply for MPSA when it is clearly
stated in the agreement that the same is limited to the conduct of exploration
only.
Further, Omico or the present permit
holder, MGMDCI, disregarded or totally violated the “No payment, no
exploration” policy as embodied in the MOA.
The
council of elders and community also claimed that Omico transferred the consent
in favor of MGMDCI without the knowledge of the host IPs.
They sought for the denial of the application
of the MGMDCI for the renewal of their exploration permit and to ultimately
revoke the issued MPSA No. 278-2009 and also for the NCIP to revoke Compliance
Certificate CCCAR-07-02-71.
Copies of said resolution were forwarded to
the EMB-DENR, NCIP for their appropriate action and likewise furnished other
concerned offices for their information, support and endorsement.
It
was also furnished the Provincial Board and was referred to the Committees on
Mining and Energy and IP for further action.
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