Outrage from varied groups continues to snowball over the government’s issuance of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to mining giant Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc.
Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) might finally be able to secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) but it could still not operate as the mining company has to comply with other requirements, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said here last week.
The sister of a tribal leader whose wife and two children were killed in a military operation last Thursday, said a “pangayaw” (tribal war) could erupt due to the killings.
A military operation against a tribal leader, who had taken up arms to fight the entry of mining in his community, led to the killing of three persons believed to be members of the tribal chief’s family.
Army-backed policemen began a hunt Tuesday for a group of B’laan natives blamed for a series of attacks on Sagittarius Mines Inc. whose operations they claimed were encroaching on and damaging their ancestral domain.
Kiblawan Mayor Marivic Diamante said Thursday she has asked for the pullout of policemen helping secure the facilities of Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc. here and their replacement by the Army.
Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) has suspended its activities in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, following yet another ambush this week, which was also blamed on armed B’laan natives.
