CHR to probe mining ‘abuses’ in Surigao provinces

BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Sur, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has formed a team to look into reported abuses committed by multinational mining companies operating in the twin provinces of Surigao.

Human Rights chair Loretta Ann Rosales said the team would look into irregularities in the acquisition of mine permits, displacements of the lumad (indigenous communities) and environmental destruction.

“The CHR will form a comprehensive monitoring team and investigate these claims of abuses by mining firms,” Rosales told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during a visit here Thursday.

She vowed to uphold the rights of the lumad communities and to address their grievances.

“I guarantee them that the CHR will look after them,” Rosales said.

On Monday, the Tribal Coalition of Mindanao Inc. (Tricom) asked the Supreme Court to cancel all mining permits, licenses and agreements granted to five Chinese mining companies operating in Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte.

Tricom claimed that Taganito Mining Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp., Oriental Synergy Mining Corp., Shenzhou Mining Group Corp. and Marcventures Mining and Development Corp. used spurious tribal consent documents to secure licenses and permits.

Tribal communities were also uprooted and dislocated as a result of the mining activities, Tricom said.

Tricom alleged that open pit mines operated by the mining companies have posed danger to the environment and the health of the lumad communities in Claver, Surigao del Norte and the towns of Carascal and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur.

Mamanwa tribal chieftain Alfredo Olorico reminded President Benigno Aquino III to fulfill his campaign promise of a transparent and accountable government by canceling anomalous mine agreements, permits, licenses and agreements in the province.

“The President must intervene now because we were duped through the machinations, deceit and manipulations by government officials and mining interests,” he said.

Sought for comment, the newly appointed head of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Caraga region called the CHR investigation timely and expected the agency to ferret out the truth.

“I’m very much open to any investigation, but the CHR must start its probe at our central office because the problem started there,” Dominador Gomez said.

He admitted that the process of acquiring consent from tribal communities in connection to mining permits “has been marred with irregularities and rampant violations of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997.”

“There were really huge controversies related to the proper enforcement of this consent mechanism during the term of my predecessor. Our lumad brothers were abused and placed at the disadvantage,” Gomez told the Inquirer.

Under the law, mining companies seeking to operate within ancestral lands were mandated to secure Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) from lumad communities.

“This consent mechanism supposedly empowers tribal minorities whether to accept or reject mining in their lands,” he said.

But Gomez said in Caraga, at least 20 mining companies had questionable FPICs and their licenses have been placed under review.

He said the NCIP even started a crackdown on erring NCIP personnel, who have reportedly colluded with mining companies to produce spurious FPICs.