ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines—The continued presence of security forces of the mining company Lupa Pigegetawan in mineral-rich Subanen communities in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, has been sowing fear among the locals, the province’s governor, Antonio Cerilles, said Wednesday.
Cerilles told the Inquirer by phone that the Subanens, who have been opposing Lupa’s operation in their areas, were wary that security guards under the AY76 security agency, which is run by a retired general, would harm them.
The security agency “would say its guards were protecting the Subanens, but on the contrary, they are harassing the lumads (indigenous people),” he said.
Bayog Mayor Leonardo Babasa Jr. said the harassment was not deliberate but because the security guards were fully armed, the Subanens felt they were being threatened.
“They are afraid to see the guards even if they are only fetching water,” he said.
Babasa said the Subanens may have been intimidated by the way they acted in the past.
“They established several checkpoints that were not fully coordinated with the local government and state security forces like the police and military. In fact, I was once held in one of their checkpoints,” Babasa said.
He said the provincial government has since dismantled the checkpoints.
Retired Brigadier General Alexander Yapching, who runs AY76, said he could not understand why his men were being accused of harassing the Subanens when they were just protecting their interest from big mining companies.
Lupa claims it is owned by the Subanens.
Yapching said he would have wanted the allegations answered in court so he could face the accusers.
Cerilles said Lupa’s activity has stopped since May 27.
Babasa said Lupa has since removed its heavy equipment from the Subanen villages.
“All the heavy equipment and facilities were already removed since last week, and only security forces remain in that mining area,” he said.