activists promote more alternative mining legislation in the philippines

7/28/2019 Activists Promote More Alternative Mining Legislation in the Philippines

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Activists promote more alternative

mining legislation in the PhilippinesPublished Date: 14-03-2011Source: Bulatlat, Inquirer, AFP, CBCP NewsSource Date: 07-03-2011

Campaign groups in the Philippines now have two potentialalternative mining laws being discussed by the country'sCongress, as a response to the constant concerns raised bycivil society over the activities of mining companies.

The new bill, the Minerals Management Bill, was submittedduring protests against the current Mining Act on theoccasion of its 15th anniversary.

These protests highlighted the congressional enquiry on thesuspect free, prior informed consent at Bakun (see:Philippine mining falters in the face of civil societyopposition).

The investigation into the murder of Dr. Ortega continues(see:Two anti-mining advocates shot in the Philippines),and has spurred on the anti-mining campaign to launch a

million signature petition.

Once again there has been another violent incident atTampakan; in this case the murder of an indigenous leaderand his wife who were supporters of the mining project.

A full investigation is required, but the killing highlights thecontinued violence and divisions the project has brought tothe local B'laan people.

Scrap Mining Act, urge green network, solons

Philippine Daily Inquirer

5 March 2011

Manila, Philippines - Sixteen years after it was enacted, the
http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10705http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10705http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10675http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10675http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10675http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10705http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10705


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Philippine Mining Act of 1995 caused not only environmentaldestruction, but also graft and corruption, conflicts in miningcommunities and extrajudicial killings, a network ofenvironmentalists and lawmakers said.

Thus the Minerals Management Bill Now Network (MMB Now!Network) is calling for the mining law's immediate repeal and theenactment of an alternative mining act to regulate theexploration, development and utilization of the country's mineralsresources.

"For more than a decade and a half, contrary to the promises ofdevelopment and prosperity that comes with the enactment ofthe Mining Act of 1995, the Filipino people have only witnessedand become victims of the havoc that the foreign-dominated

mining industry has brought to our country," said Judy Pasimio,executive director of Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center.

"Human rights violations amongst indigenous peoples andcommunities, mining-related extrajudicial killings, divisionamongst communities, environmental destructions, cases ofbribery amongst government institutions, non-payment of taxes,and undermining of local governance have all been main-stayfeatures under the 16th year history of the mining law," saidPasimio.

Religious leaders also reiterated their call to repeal the country'smining law.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that the CatholicBishops' Conference of the Philippines has consistently called forthe abrogation of the country's mining law.

"The CBCP has issued pastoral statements in 1998 and 2006,calling for the repeal of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. As

pastors, we have witnessed how the faithful has struggled todefend the integrity of creation. Our experiences ofenvironmental tragedies belie claims and assurances ofresponsible mining," Pabillo said.

CBCP spokesman Bishop Deogracias Iniguez said mining projectsfailed to lift people out of poverty.


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Iniguez said the CBCP has observed that "mining areas remainamong the poorest areas in the country such as the miningcommunities in CARAGA, Bicol and Cordillera Regions."

At the same time, he said the country's indigenous peoples face

serious challenges when confronted with mining as "the culturalfabric of indigenous peoples is also being destroyed by the entryof mining corporations."

In Congress, bills pushing for the enactment of alternative mininglaws have been filed.

Representative Erin Taada III filed House Bill 206 or theAlternative Mining Bill (AMB) while Representatives Kaka Bag-ao,Walden Bello, Teddy Baguilat Jr., Rufus Rodriguez, Maximo

Rodriguez, Carlos Padilla and Roilo Golez filed House Bill 3763 orthe Minerals Management Bill (MMB).

Taada said his proposed measure is a response in regulating theexploration, development and utilization of the country's mineralsresources.

"This bill, if passed into law, will correct all the mistakes andnegative effects that the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 hasbrought to our country and the AMB puts communities, human

rights, conservation of our mineral and natural resources, andgenuine national development at the center," he said.

Bag-ao, on the other hand, said their proposed measure wants toensure that mineral extraction is not done at the expense of theenvironment and the communities.

"The MMB envisions that if we ever need to extract our mineralresources it should be for the benefit of the Filipino people andnot for the interest of foreign and domestic mining corporations,"

Bag-ao said.

"The MMB will ensure that any mineral extraction done in thecountry, it should be geared towards genuine nationalindustrialization and modernization of our agriculture," said Bag-ao.

Baguilat said the current mining law violates the rights of the


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indigenous people.

"Under the Mining Act of 1995 the rights of indigenous peopleson their ancestral domains, territories and resources, free, priorand informed consent (FPIC) requirements for indigenous

communities, to name a few, have been undermined byirresponsible mining, some corrupt government officials, andmost mining companies," Baguilat said.

He said the MMB "ensures that the right of our indigenousbrothers and sisters are respected and protected, specifically thatof their right to their lands, territories and resources and thatequitable share from any mineral extraction within their ancestraldomains is assured."

Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina,stressed that the current Philippine Mining Act of 1995 isinadequate in addressing serious challenges that face thecountry, including climate change, disaster risk reduction andglobalization.

"Our studies show that mining has contributed very little toeconomic growth because of the too liberal incentives given bythe current mining law," Garganera said.

"There really is an urgent need to pass a new mining law that willcomply with climate change, disaster-risk reduction and theglobalizing economy," he said.

He said if mining companies "are really serious about responsiblemining, then they should support these two pending bills, asthese capture comprehensively the genuine practice of miningresponsibly."

Aquino's Bias For Mining Firms Hit

By Ina Alleco R. Silverio

Bulatlat

5 March 2011


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Did President Benigno Aquino get financial support from miningfirms? If not, then why is he against regulating the operations ofsaid companies?

This was the question raised by an environmental activist during

a protest against the Mining Act of 1995 on the occasion of its15th anniversary. Kalikasan People's Network for theEnvironment (PNE), the Center for Environmental Concerns(CEC) and indigenous people's groups Kalipunan ng mgaKatutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and Katribu Party-list staged a rally in Mendiola denouncing the mining law, sayingthat it was long-overdue that the law be repealed given thedestruction it has wrought on the environment and the healthand livelihood of thousands of Filipinos.

CEC executive director Frances Quimpo criticized PresidentBenigno Aquino III for his silence on calls for the repeal or atleast review of the Mining Act of 1995. She said there wererumors that Aquino received financial support from saidcorporations in his May 2010 presidential bid, which explains hissoft stance on the mining industry.

"This could be a defining reason why Aquino is very hesitantagainst even supporting calls for the mining law's repeal. He hascalled for the cancellation of some 300 mining contracts, yes; butwhat Malacanang didn't say was that these contracts were all

sleeping' or inactive. The destructive operations of big mining

corporations continue even as we speak," she said.

During the campaign, Aquino told reporters that he was againstamending or repealing the mining law. Salvador Zamora III, theowner of the country's largest nickel mining company, was one ofhis most important supporters.

Based on reports, Zamora founded Nickel Asia Corporation [2]

and served as its president and chief executive officer. He servedas president of Cagdianao Mining Corporation since 1997,president of Hinatuan Mining Corporation since 1987 andpresident of Taganito Mining Corporation since 1980. He is aproperty developer, resort and hotel operator in the Philippines.He serves as the chairman of Oriental Vision Mining PhilippinesCorp, and a director of Baguio Leisure Corp.


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Quimpo also pointed out that Aquino has even questioned themove of former South Cotabato governor and now representativeDaisy Avance-Fuentes to ban open-pit mining [3] in the province.

Avance-Fuentes signed the province's new environment code

banning open-pit mining two days before her tenure ended inJune 2010. According to reports, the new code is against theoperations of global mining giant Xstrata in Tampakan town andSan Miguel Corporation's coal mining project in Lake Sebu.

Based on reports, Xstrata had offered a compromise deal withFuentes to block the code. It allegedly argued that the Tampakancopper-gold project was world class with an estimated content of13.5 million tons of copper and 15.8 million ounces of gold.

The company also sought to win support for its project bypromising to invest over $5 billion, employ up to 9,000 peopleduring construction and up to 2,000 people during operations.Xstrata had expected to start actual mining in 2016.

"Aquino has questioned the ban saying that it should be lifted.The least he could've done before opposing the ban againstopen-pit mining in South Cotabato is to find out if the damagingeffects of open-pit mining are true," she said.

In the meantime, Quimpo said the CEC and Kalikasan-PNE arenot completely against mining because, she said, the mining ofmineral resources is an important component in building astronger economy.

"What we are against is unregulated, uncontrolled mining for thesole profit of transnational mining corporations and their localpartners. We are against mining that destroys the environment,displaces communities, and leaves thousands sick, unemployedand devastated. We want the country's mineral resources to

benefit the Filipino people and to help build an industrializedeconomy," she said.

CEC, Kalikasan-PNE and Defend Patrimony recently helped bringan alternative mining bill to congress through the office of BayanMuna Rep. Teddy Casino [4]


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Militarization Against Indigenous Peoples

Kamp spokeswoman Piya Macliing Malayao said the last 16 yearsunder the mining law have wrought extensive damage onindigenous Filipinos' ancestral lands. She said that despite this,

the Aquino government has not seen it urgent to call for thelaw's repeal.

Malayao said environmental groups and indigenous peoples havealready called on Aquino to revoke the National Minerals Policy ofthe previous regime under Gloria Macapagal-Arrouo, "But heappears bent on outdoing the last administration's supposedachievements in mining. This bodes ill for indigenous groups andthe Philippine environment," she said.

The Mining Act of 1995 [5] has long been denounced for itsalleged partiality to mining investors. Under the law, fullownership of Philippine land is allowed to investors. This,Malayao said, goes directly against the Philippine Constitution'sprovisions against foreign ownership or land restrictions to 60-40percent sharing in businesses between local companies andforeign firms.

"It's an outrage that despite the inherent unconstitutionality ofthe law, it continues to be upheld and implemented," Malayao

said.

She asserted that because of unscrupulous mining practices andthe government's liberal policy when it comes to mining firms,many human rights violations have been committed againstindigenous peoples. She cited the repeated evacuation of Lumadsin Andap Valley in Surigao del Sur.

The continued military operations in the province are said to bebecause of the province's rich land, where valuable minerals such

as coal and gold can be found. The Department of Environmentand Natural Resources' Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) has been studying the area since the 1970s. The AndapValley Complex, which spans the municipalities of Barobo,Lianga, San Agustin, San Miguel, Marihatag, Cagwait and Tago, isa prime area for extraction of coal and other minerals.


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Malayao also cited other mining-affected indigenous communities[6] in Compostela Valley and Gambang, Bakun in Benguet ).

"There is intense militarization in these areas. Residents arebeing forced to give way to mining corporations," she said.

Recently, a congressional inquiry [7] was conducted in Bakunregarding reports of false acquisition of Free Prior and InformedConsent (FPIC) from the indigenous community. An FPIC isrequired before any development by mining firms can be allowedon ancestral domains.

The investigation revealed that the National Commission onIndigenous Peoples (NCIP) was guilty of "irregularities" when itacquired consent from the communities on behalf of the Royalco

Mining Corporation [8].

Royalco has since forged a contract to transfer its Royalco'sexploration project to Vale Exploration Philippines Inc., asubsidiary of the world's second largest multi national miningcompany. Vale Exploration would continue the ongoingexploration in Gambang.

URLs in this post:

[1] Bulatlat.com: http://bulatlat.com

[2] Nickel Asia Corporation:http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corp

[3] ban open-pit mining:http://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mining

[4] Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino:http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/

[5] Mining Act of 1995:http://www.psdn.org.ph/chmbio/ra7942.html
http://bulatlat.com/http://bulatlat.com/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mininghttp://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mininghttp://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mininghttp://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/http://www.psdn.org.ph/chmbio/ra7942.htmlhttp://www.psdn.org.ph/chmbio/ra7942.htmlhttp://www.psdn.org.ph/chmbio/ra7942.htmlhttp://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/03/pro-people-pro-environment-mining-bill-proposed-in-congress%C2%A0/http://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mininghttp://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/june2010/south-cotabato-governor-signs-ban-open-pit-mininghttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=49532050&privcapId=100672256&previousCapId=99936773&previousTitle=Oriental%20Vision%20Mining%20Philippines%20Corphttp://bulatlat.com/


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[6] mining-affected indigenous communities:http://bulatlat.com/main/2010/02/02/bakun-folk-decry-govt-inaction-on-opposition-to-mining-operations/

[7] congressional inquiry:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:3wXACwx8V70J:bulatlat.com/main/2011/02/28/congress-validates-flaws-in-securing-consent-for-mining-in-benguet/+Congressional+investigations+in+Bakun,+Benguet&cd=1&hl=tl&ct=clnk&gl=ph&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com.ph

[8] Royalco Mining Corporation:http://www.nordis.net/?p=8607

Battle on paradise Philippine island

By Karl Malakunas

AFP

7 March 2011

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines - For tourists the Philippine islandof Palawan seems like paradise, but for environment activists it

feels more akin to a battlefield.

Murders and threats on what is promoted as the Southeast Asiannation's last ecological frontier are emblematic of a struggleacross the country, where dozens of environment campaignershave been killed over the past decade.

Father-of-five "Doc" Gerry Ortega became the latest casualty inlate January when a hitman shot him in the head while browsingin a second-hand clothes shop along one of the main roads of

Palawan's capital city, Puerto Princesa."He received a lot of death threats," Ortega's wife, Patty, 48, toldAFP in an interview at a cafe just a few hundred metres fromwhere he was killed.

The murdered Ortega, 47, a veterinarian, made many enemiesvia a daily radio morning show he hosted in which he lambasted
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politicians whom he accused of being corrupt and allowing theisland's natural resources to be pillaged.

"He was a very passionate man, passionate about theenvironment," his widow said.

On the far western edge of the Philippines' archipelago, Palawanhas some of the country's most beautiful beaches, stunning coralreefs and biodiverse forests -- it is home to two UNESCO WorldHeritage-listed sites.

But environment campaigners say Palawan's natural wonderscould be destroyed within a generation amid the frenzy to exploitthem, citing as an example the destruction of countless coralreefs from cyanide and dynamite fishing.

Its reefs supply more than half the nation's seafood, plus millionsof dollars' worth of fish to other Asian markets.

Palawan also has vast amounts of nickel, cobalt and othervaluable minerals, prompting hundreds of applications to mineabout half of the island.

The applications have spurred a high-profile campaign to ban allforms of mining.

Meanwhile, 11 percent of the Philippines' remaining virgin forestsand 38 percent of its mangroves are on Palawan, according togovernment data.

"From the post cards it's a great tourist area," Robert Chan, acrusading environmental lawyer and executive director ofPalawan NGO Network Inc, told AFP from his rundownheadquarters in Puerto Princesa.

"But if you talk about the resources that really mean something

for biodiversity or medicines eventually for our futuregenerations, if you talk about its old growth forests, if you talkabout mangrove forests, if you talk about its coral reefs, werelosing it."

While there are many laws to protect Palawan's naturalresources, they are no match for the lawlessness and corruption


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that permeates all of Philippine society, according to environmentcampaigners and some politicians.

"The biggest obstacle really is the temptation of money from bigindustries and (those involved in) illegal activities," Edward

Hagedorn, the long-time mayor of Puerto Princesa, told AFP.

Hagedorn, regarded by Palawan's environment activists as one oftheir most important political allies, has banned mining andlogging in Puerto Princesa which, although a city, has huge tractsof forests and white sand beaches.

"Outside the city destruction is happening very fast," he said.

Hagedorn said powerful figures had often tried to bribe him to

permit environmentally destructive practices, such as allowingtruckloads of seafood that were illegally fished to be flown fromhis city's airport.

"You'll be surprised. Law enforcers, judges, come into my office(offering money and) asking for me to give them a chance," hesaid.

Environment campaigners say that, amid this chaos, they have toperform functions that government bodies and law enforcers

should be doing, which often pushes them into very dangeroussituations.

Attorney Chan, 43, said four environment activists from localcommunities he had worked with over the past decade had beenmurdered.

Chan and his colleagues train communities to resist destructiveenvironment practices by filing law suits, but also to confiscateequipment such as chainsaws used for illegal logging and evenboats used for illegal fishing.

Under Philippine law, citizens are allowed to seize equipmentused in illegal activities and arrest those involved.

Over the past 10 years, Chan said he, his colleagues and thecommunities they worked with had seized more than 360chainsaws, two large ships, about 20 small outrigger boats and


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rifles.

But the successes are tempered by a sense of danger.

Chan, who is married and has a young daughter, recounted

losing an activist in 2006 who had been working to oppose illegallogging and the cutting down of mangroves in his community.

"We found him in a shallow grave in a beach. He had beenspecifically buried there for us to find him," said Chan.

"His testicles were taken off, put into his mouth, his tongue wascut out, his eyes were gouged out, his fingernails were taken out,he had around 16 stab wounds."

Abdelwin Sangkula, another Puerto Princesa-based campaigner,said he had also received many death threats over the past fewyears.

"I'm worried about my safety and the safety of my family. But Iwill continue with my fight, said Sangkula, 39, who has threechildren and was a regular guest on the murdered Ortega's radioshow.

"I don't know whether it's just in my blood, but I see injusticeand unfairness with what's happening in this province."

Abraham Mitra, the governor of Palawan who is also chairman ofthe province's sustainable development council, did not respondto requests by AFP for comment on the allegations made by theenvironment campaigners.

The development council has run full-page advertisements innational papers recently rejecting claims that the localenvironment is being destroyed, and insisting that miningapplications are being approved in a responsible manner.

In the case of Ortega, the accused gunman and four other peoplealleged to have been involved in the killing have been arrested.

His widow has filed documents with the justice departmentaccusing a powerful local politician of masterminding the murder.


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The politician, who has not been arrested, has gone on nationaltelevision to deny any link to Ortega's killing. Policeinvestigations are ongoing.

IPs call for end of mining on ancestral lands

CBCP News

2 March 2011

BAYOMBONG-Tribal folks in Nueva Vizcaya called for an end ofmining activities on their ancestral lands, saying large-scalemining will destroy their forests and leave them with nothing.


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Resident holding out against mine in Didipio, Philippines - the sign reads

"keep out - project area" - Andy Whitmore/MAC"Respect the indigenous people's rights. And our call: NO TOLARGE-SCALE MINING. Mining will not feed us, it will take ourland; ravage our forests and leave us with nothing," said LucasBuay, a representative of Kasibu Inter-tribal Response forEcological Development (KIRED).

Buay recalled what mining has done on the ancestral lands of IPsin Benguet and Ifugao, saying he did not want the same tohappen in their territory.

The Diocese of Bayombong and anti-mining groups held a pressconference on Feb. 28 in celebration of the Commission onHuman Rights' (CHR) Resolution urging the withdrawal of Oceana

Gold mining permit in Barangay Didipio, in Kasibu town of NuevaVizcaya.

Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena presided a Holy Mass at St.Dominic de Guzman Cathedral prior to the conference.

"We are one with the CHR headed by Chairperson Loretta AnnRosales in the commission's resolve to recommend to thegovernment under the new administration to consider theprobable withdrawal of the FTAA granted to a foreign company in

view of the gross violations of human rights it has committed,"Villena said.

In a resolution released on January 10, CHR declared thatOceana Gold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) violated the "the right toadequate housing and property rights"; "the right to freedom ofmovement"; "the right not to be subjected to arbitraryinterference"; "the right to security of persons"; and "the right ofthe indigenous community to manifest their culture and identity".

Tolentino Inlab, who heads the IP organization Didipio EarthSavers Multi-purpose Association (DESAMA) called for thescrapping of FTAA.

"We call on these corporations and the government, to stop allforms of human rights violations. We say: No to large-scalemining. Scrap the FTAA of Oceana Gold!" he declared.


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Villena said the diocese will continue the fight to stop mining inDidipio and other areas endangered by mining application.

"We will not relent nor give up. Our battle cry lives on: NO TOMINING, YES TO LIFE!" he stressed.

About 1,000 people and various organizations, includingSALAKNIB - Salakniban ti Lubong, Aglawlaw ken Karbengandagiti Umili ti Nueva Vizcaya, Alyansa Tigil Mina, Task ForceDetainees - Philippines (TFDP), Legal Rights and NaturalResources Center (LRC), and Philippine Human RightsInformation Center (PhilRights), participated in the activities.

Organizers also put up a photo exhibit at the cathedralhighlighting the ill-effects of large-scale mining.

Mining firm halts work as tribal leader, wife killed

Sun Star Davao

24 February 2011

KORONADAL CITY -- A tribal chieftain who staunchly supportedthe Tampakan copper-gold project of foreign-backed Sagittarius

Mines Inc. was killed Tuesday night by still unidentified gunmen,prompting the company to temporarily suspend operations inparts of the mines development site due to security concerns.

The killing of Tonio Binuhay, tribal chieftain of S'bangken and acouncilor of Barangay Tablu in Tampakan, South Cotabato, oneof the villages straddling the Tampakan project, alarmedSagittarius Mines, company officials said.

Binuhay's wife, Rosanna, who was reportedly pregnant, was also

killed in the attack that occurred in the couple's house in PurokQuezon, Barangay Sta. Cruz in the low land of Tampakan town atpast 8 p.m., the local police reported.

John B. Arnaldo, Sagittarius Mines corporate communicationsmanager, said the temporary work suspension in the field was a"company best standard practice."


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"To ensure the safety of employees and contractors, themanagement ordered the work suspension until further clearancefrom the authorities," he said, adding that the mining firm wassaddened by the death of a staunch supporter.

Arnaldo said the company believes the killing "was not related tothe Tampakan mining project."

Chief Insp. Jomar Alexis A. Yap, Central Mindanao policespokesperson, said that investigation was still underway anddifferent motives are being considered, including the possibilitythat the murder was related to the mining project.

"We are digging deeply into the case," Yap said in a textmessage.

Manolo T. Labor, Sagittarius Mine's external affairscommunication superintendent, raised the company's concern tothe safety of the other tribal chieftains within the Tampakanproject with the slaying of the victim.

"We would like to extend our condolences to the family of thetribal chieftain. This is alarming," Labor said in a separateinterview, reiterating that the killing "could not be related to theTampakan project."

When the victim, a B'laan tribesman, was still alive, he stoutlysupported the mining firm, pinning high hopes to the companyfor a better life of their tribe through the livelihood andscholarship programs given by the project.

Binuhay's community is located in Barangay Tablu, site ofSagittarius Mines' base camp that was attacked by thecommunist New People's Army (NPA) before dawn in the 2008New Year's Day.

The communist rebels burned the firm's administration office andseveral mining equipment worth at least P12 million. They alsodisarmed and took several firearms of the security guards thenmanning the base camp.

No one was hurt in the attack although the NPA rebels alsomanaged to keep at bay government security forces manning an


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Army detachment some 500 meters away from the base camp.

Early in 2009, the communist guerrillas, as part also of itscampaign against Sagittarius Mines, also successfully attackedthe police station of Tampakan town, resulting in the wounding of

four people, three of them policemen.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of thePhilippines, has warned the mining company to brace for moreviolent attacks in punishment for "plundering and destroying thenation's patrimony."

Sagittarius Mines, which eyes commercial production in 2016, iscontrolled by Xstrata Copper, the world's fourth largest copperproducer, with Australian firm Indophil Resources NL as minority

equity partner.

Based on the Mine Project Feasibility Study submitted bySagittarius Mines to the government last April, the Tampakanproject could yield an average life of mine annual production rateof 370,000 metric tons and 360,000 ounces of copper and gold,respectively. The initial life mine estimate for the Tampakanproject was pegged at 17 years.

The previous estimate was an annual average production rate of

340,000 tons and 350,000 ounces of copper and gold,respectively.

The Tampakan project is touted as the largest knownundeveloped copper-gold deposit in Southeast Asia.

Based on its study, Sagittarius Mines will employ open-pit miningto extract the massive deposit, a method banned by theProvincial Government of South Cotabato. Several sectors havebeen pushing for an amendment to the prohibition.

(Bong S. Sarmiento of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)

activists promote more alternative mining legislation in the philippines

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