Court upholds legality of Vizcaya mine project

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The Court of Appeals has denied a petition by Church-backed anti-mining activists here questioning the granting of consent by an indigenous group for a Australian-owned company to conduct exploration activities in one of the province’s mountain areas.

In effect, the CA’s 19-page decision upheld the legality of the exploration project of Royalco Philippines Inc. in the villages of Pao and Kakidugen in Kasibu town, which the petitioners had been questioning since 2007 due to the firm’s alleged failure to conduct the required consultations with the affected Bugkalot villagers.

Formerly called Oxiana Philippines Inc., the firm, the CA said, complied with all the processes in getting the “free and prior inform consent (FPIC)” of the Bugkalots, as stipulated in the guidelines set by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Royalco’s local subsidiary, the Buena Suerte Mining Corp., now operates the mining exploration project in the two villages and nearby areas. Its operation in the Pao-Kakidugen area had been stalled due to the case filed by the anti-mining activists.

The CA even noted the firm’s adherence in conducting a series of dialogues with the villagers until it obtained their approval without resorting to bribery and other schemes, as the petitioners alleged.

The petitioners, backed by the Catholic Church’s Social Action Center here and other anti-mining groups, were led by Mariano Maddela, Renato Engco, Tony Cabarroguis, Maddela Camma, Ramon Biyao and Sampa Tangid, also residing in the area where Royalco is exploring gold, copper and other mineral deposits.