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Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume 2, Number 14 May 12 - 18, 2002 Quezon City, Philippines |
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Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume 2, Number 14 May 12 - 18, 2002 Quezon City, Philippines |
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Town Folk End Mining Operation in Zamboanga del Sur More than 200 people successfully ended the operation of an illegal mining company after the government failed to do its job. By
ELMER D. SAGBIGSAL OZAMIS CITY- When the government failed to do its task of protecting communities from an environmental threat, the people had to use their own power. On May 8, more than 200 people successfully drove out the drilling machine of an illegal mining company to the town center after the Community Environment and Natural Resource Officer (CENRO) failed to implement the cease-and-desist order (CDO) it issued to A-Dynasty Multi-purpose Cooperative (A-DMC) five months ago. The local protesters from Bawal Mina hauled the mining machine for more than three hours from barangay Dalapan to the town of Guipos Zamboanga del Sur where they turned over the equipment to police authorities, said Karapatan-Western Mindanao. Karapatan is a nationwide human rights alliance. Jenah Belza, Karapatan-Western Mindanao chair, said the CDO was issued by CENRO on December 7 last year after Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB)-Region 9 notified them that ADMC was not registered in their office due to non-payment of the company’s annual occupation fee. In a letter addressed to the parish priest of San Miguel in the same month, Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Cerilles confirmed A-DMC’s operation was illegal. “Per record of our office no such A-DMC had applied nor issued permit for marble quarrying,” Cerilles said. “The operation of A-DMC is illegal for operating a quarrying aggregates materials without governors’ permit.” Just the same, A-DMC ignored the order by continuing its mining and clearing operation at the watch of the protesters while CENRO lifted no finger to stop the operation, Belza added. Belza said the protesters will file charges against A-DMC for illegal operation. A resident said that their collective action would finally bring peace to their community after seven months of protest. He revealed that since the drilling machine was installed in their community last year, the people and communities were divided. Groups of fanatics and goons reportedly threatened the protesters with harm. One protester was killed while 17 others were sued. Bulatlat.com We want to know what you think of this article.
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