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MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Brooke’s Point, Palawan were detained by police after they protested mining operations that were previously ordered to stop by the municipal mayor, according to Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) on Saturday.
Brooke’s Point residents have been protesting the Ipilan Nickel Corporation’s (INC) operations since February. They had even set up a barricade in an effort to block off mining trucks.
READ: Residents set up anti-mining barricade in Palawan
According to the ATM, INC’s security forces allegedly dismantled the barricade on Friday. In response, residents went to the broken down barriers to protest the demolition.
In footage released to the media, men in uniform labeled with “security” apprehended several residents. The ATM said that a total of six protesters were allegedly harassed, detained and arrested.
“This is a blatant disrespect of the law and the Mayor’s orders as well as a grave insult to the people of Brooke’s Point…Clearly, INC has no qualms violating the law as it bullies the local government and residents with its security forces and heavy equipment,” said Marlon Tamsi of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center.
The ATM said that the six protesters have been detained by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Brooke’s Point.
“As of this morning, the information we got was that they were arrested yesterday and detained at PNP Brooke’s Point. They were supposed to be scheduled for inquest at Puerto Princesa today, but we have no update yet whether this pushed through,” said the ATM.
This writer has reached out to the PNP to confirm the protestor’s detainment, but it has yet to respond.
According to Rudy Cataluna, the President of Samahan ng Magsasaka Ayaw sa Pagmimina, they were protesting peacefully when security forces came.
“Mapayapa kaming nagbabarikada laban sa ilegal at mapahamak na operasyon ng INC. Bakit nila giniba ang aming barikada at hinarass ang aming mga kasamahan, eh sila itong lumalabag sa batas. Bakit walang ginawa ang mga pulis habang kinakaladkad ng mga INC security guards ang mga rallyista? Ang INC ang dapat ikulong at hindi ang mga tao na tumitindig para sa kalikasan at sa ordinaryong mamamayan,” said Cataluna.
(We were peacefully barricading against the illegal and destructive operations of INC. Why did they destroy our barricades and arrest our colleagues when they are the ones violating the law? Why did the police do nothing when the INC security guards were dragging the rallyists? The INC should be the ones jailed and not those who are standing up for nature and the ordinary citizens.)
INQUIRER.net has reached out to the INC, who said that the company will issue an official statement regarding the incident soon.
The company however, referred to its previous statement about the matter, saying that only the national government can cancel its permit.
“The Ipilan Nickel Project is a joint public-private enterprise between the Republic of the Philippines,as principal, and its chosen contractor. Thus, as per the statement of our regulators, only the national government, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), can cancel the relevant Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) or halt INC’s mineral operations,” said the mining firm in a statement on January 2023.
The mining firm also sent INQUIRER.net a document dated April 14 summoning Municipal Mayor Cesareo R. Benedito, who had long opposed the INC’s operations, to a summary hearing on the company’s prayer for temporary restraining order (TRO) against him and anti-mining organizer Job Lagrada.
READ: Expired permit puts Palawan mine in trouble
This petition for a TRO came a day after Benedito had issued the cease and desist order against the company on Thursday, April 13. This was also a day before the anti-mining barricade was disbanded.
According to the document obtained by INQUIRER.net from ATM, two notices of violations (NOV) have already been previously issued to the INC on account of its “failure to secure the required mayor’s permit” for its operations.
“To date, you have failed to comply with the aforementioned NOVs and have continued your mining operations. Our office has observed that you have continued to haul nickel ore, transport these in trucks, and bring these to the causeway for shipment,” wrote Benedito.
INQUIRER.net has reached out to the DENR for a response, but has yet to receive an answer.