Vizcaya folks up protests vs army-aided mine firms

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya - Despite protests, commercial mining operation is now in full swing in upland Didipio in this town and other parts of the province.

Oceana Gold Philippines officials formally declared that the gold and copper project being protested for alleged offenses against indigenous peoples’ rights, has reached the commercial production stage.

The plant has produced 7,251 ounces of gold and 3,866 tons of copper during the first three months of the year, which is on-target with the projected annual production rate of 2.5 million tones after its date of commercial production on April 1.

Mick Wilkes, OGPI’s chief executive director and managing director, said they had shipped their first concentrate from the San Fernando Port, La Union and the second shipment is imminent.

“Commissioning of Didipio continues to advance well and we are beginning to realize the positive cash flow from the operation having made one shipment in early April and the next shipment expected soon,” Wilkes said.

More than 13,000 tons of copper-gold concentrate is in storage in Didipio and at the port and mining activities continue to perform well with a large inventory of ore on the ROM pad, the private mining firm’s official said.

“Our transformation into a multi-national producer with lower costs continues to progress as planned,” Wilkes said.

This, as tribal folk intensified opposition against operation of mining companies in the province even with temporary restraining order (TRO) granted to Royalco Philippines, Inc. by a court against 10 local leaders who led four separate barricades in Kasibu and Dupax Del Norte town.

Defendants of a case filed by the company are anti-mining local leaders who led their constituents in protests since 2006 to stop  mining companies led by Royalco Resources Limited an Australian based exploration company.

Clemented Bautista, national coordinator of
Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment bared this saying the company was using the name of Royalco Philippines Inc. and Buena Suerte Mining Company in its operationa after the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences granted these exploration permits over Kasibu, particularly barangays Muta, Pao and Kakiduguen.

In Dupax Del Norte, affected areas were reportedly barangays Binuangan, Giayan and Yabbi and Nagtipunan town barangays of Quirino namely Keat, Giayan and Mataddi.

Barangay Captain Santos Yonga-an, one of two defendants slapped with a TRO due to barricades in Kasibu said, “There is nothing new with what the mining companies are doing as they are authorized by the state through RA 7942 popularly known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The same thing was done to us by Royalco Resources Ltd. when we set up the barricade in 2006, we were unfazed. No amount of threats, harassments or bribery weakened the people’s stance on mining as proven by our organization KIRED (Kasibu Intertribal Response for Ecological Development). We remain resolute that’s why our barricades in Kasibu remain to be there”.

With roads strictly manned by the local folks in Kasibu, explorations were made difficult compelling the mining companies to develop an alternate route through Dupax del Norte.

Such move was not without resistance from the residents of Dupax Del Norte. Two separate barricades were set up with the first on May 9 at Binuangan of Dupax Del Norte and the second one was last May 20 in Baranggay Mataddi Dupax Del Norte.

From then on, two new barricades were maintained  by local organizations AUBD ( Alliance of Upland Baranggay for Sustainable Development ) and ALMUSEGAM ( Alliance of Multisectoral Groups Against Mining) comprising 14 upland Baranggays from Dupax Del Norte and Del Sur including nearby baranggays of Quirino.

The other two previously set barricades were in Kasibu led by KIRED composed of residents of six baranggays.

According to Royalco, the setting up of these barricades brought P2 million loss to the company as they were prevented from delivering supplies, equipment and personnel in Barangay PaoKasibu, not to mention payments to their legal counsel amounting to P150,000.00 per appearance in court and other incurred expenses related to cases filed.

The people of Kasibu including those from Dupax Del Sur and Norte have reportedly sought legal means to prevent mining companies from intruding into their land.

Most recent was a hearing called for by the provincial board of Nueva Vizcaya in May 6 after a complaint was filed by the people of Barangay Yabbi, Dupax Del Norte regarding alleged intrusion of Royalco Philippines Inc into their town in spite of the people’s stand against mining as manifested in their numerous resolutions and petitions.

From the said hearing, the Provincial Board assured those present that they will temporarily suspend operation of the said mining company until the people’s complaints are addressed.

Last May 15, Oceana Gold, one of several foreign companies that gained permit to mine the province, located in the town of Quezon, formally opened and anti-mining personalities were invited.

The event was described by Bishop Ramon Villena the Bishop of the Diocese of Bayombong as the “opening of destruction of Nueva Vizcaya!”

According to Villena, mining companies employed the state’s elements to protect their interest at the expense of the people’s safety and welfare.

Recently, in June 11, truckloads of the Phil Army of approximately 300 soldiers from the 86th IB of the 5th ID arrived in Baranggay Giayan sowing fear among the residents.

The following day, the soldiers threatened to enter and search the houses of the Bugkalots who are the dominant indigenous people in the area, even without search warrants.

However, they were prevented by the people through their strong resistance as led by their tribal chieftain.

At the barricade, joint forces of the Philippine Army and the PNP tried to dismantle the barricade as they served the TRO against the leaders, but with the strong and organized resistance of the people, the state forces failed. 

Paz Balinggan, one of the defendants of the TRO and chairperson of ALMUSEGAM said: “These barricades that we set up against the foreign mining companies are to defend our land which is the source of life not just for us but also for our children who are the next generation.”

She added: “Let us remember our friends from Runruno, Quezon who are still in jail due to their resistance against FCF Minerals Corporations. Also, the leader who died from Didipio, Kasibu due to her anti mining stance against Oceana Gold Philippines Inc. These prove that our fight is not separate from theirs. Let us forge our unity to achieve genuine development.”