A Church official in Eastern Samar has commended the provincial government’s mine-closure order for at least three mining companies.
In separate letters, Eastern Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart has ordered three mining companies to stop their mining operations in Manicani and Homonhon islands due to peace and order problems.
Copies of the letters were obtained by the civil-society network Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI). In the letter to Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC), the lone mining company on Manicani Island in Guiuan town, the governor said “previous similar situation occurred before involving the community and your company, which resulted in the loss of life and [caused] bodily harm.”
“Governor Nicart may be pertaining to an unfortunate event in May 2001, when protesting locals clashed with the security forces of HMC, causing the death of a protester and injuring others,” PMPI National Coordinator Yolly Esguerra said.
Esguerra added that the current situation in Manicani is not very far from the circumstances of May 2001. “Since the attempts of HMC to dock barges and start loading operations in September 2014, the situation in Manicani changed from peaceful to volatile,” she lamented.
Esguerra also warned: “It could get worse anytime and it is a good thing the provincial leadership had the courage to intervene and simmer the situation down.”
In the letter to Cambayas Mining and Emir Corp., the two companies involved in extracting minerals in Homonhon, Nicart also cited a 2003 provincial ordinance that imposed an “indefinite moratorium” on large-scale mining activities in the province.
“As you can see, the incoming president [Rodrigo Duterte], as [outgoing] mayor of Davao City, is one of those who supported local autonomy, especially in the case of imposing mining bans,” Esguerra added.
“With this, we are optimistic that he will not question the decision of Eastern Samar Governor Nicart, and probably of other local government officials in the future, to implement their ordinance that only aims to protect their constituency and the environment,” she said. Fr. Juderick Paul Calumpiano, social action director of Borongan diocese, said mining has been destroying the province’s environment and caused divisions in communities.
“It is putting first the interest and the protection of the islanders and the home islands from further destruction and division,” Calumpiano said. Even Pope Francis, he said, is calling for the radical paradigm shift among mining companies whose interests are different from the communities affected by their operation.
CBCPNews
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