3 Mindanao mayors seek Palace support for planned Xstrata mining project

DAVAO CITY, Philippines–Chief executives of at least three Mindanao towns included in the proposed mine area of Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc. have sought Malacañang’s help so the project could commence.

Kiblawan, Davao del Sur Mayor Marivic Caminero-Diamante told reporters here that she and the mayors of Tampakan in South Cotabato and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, have sent a manifesto to President Aquino.

“It was to solicit the government’s support for the proposed project, for the reconsideration of the Environmental Compliance Certificate that has been denied, and for the amendment of the provincial environment code of South Cotabato,” she said.

Caminero said she and the two other executives viewed the ECC denial as more of social acceptability issue aggravated by the provincial environment code that banned open-pit mining in South Cotabato.

She said it was unfortunate that a mining investment as big as SMI’s would be affected by these issues because the mining company will become the “prime economic driver” of their localities.

“We hope that with the President’s help, SMI’s operations can start,” she said.

Mark Williams, SMI manager for external affairs said they were continuously working to overturn the decision of the Environment and Management Bureau against their ECC application.

He said a motion for reconsideration is now pending before the EMB.

“SMI is optimistic that DENR would favorably act on the motion for reconsideration considering that the denial was not made on the merits of the company’s environmental impact statement (EIS) but due to the existing ban on open-pit mining contained in the South Cotabato provincial environmental code,” he said.

But a non-government organization said it would be better for the government not to grant SMI’s ECC application because the company’s presence in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur has been negatively affecting the people’s lives, including the relationship between tribal communities.

The Tampakan Forum–a group of anti-mining advocates–said it was because of these reasons that it asked help from Mr. Aquino.

The Tampakan Forum said Xstrata-SMI has been fomenting the tension and pitting pro-mining B’laans against their fellow tribespeople.

But John Arnaldo, SMI communications group manager, said the company has not done anything wrong. “We do not influence our host Barangay and IP communities on their decisions,” he said in a text message to the INQUIRER.

In its report, the Tampakan Forum said anti-mining B’laans from the sitios of Lafla, Gumiket Ayem, Nakul Tana, Alyong 1, Alyong 2 and Bong S’bang have blocked roads leading to their communities to prevent the mining company from relocating them to Datal Atmorok and to deny entry to pro-mining groups.

The anti-mining B’laans, Tampakan Forum said, were fighting for the preservation of their ancestral land, forest and their burial grounds.

On the other hand, pro-mining B’laans in the outlying villages of Pula Bato and Danlag in Tampakan and in Kimlawis, Kiblawan, have also put up road blockades to prevent any person or group opposing the mining project from entering the interior area.

The Tampakan Forum said Xstrata-SMI was apparently aiding the pro-mining tribespeople by supplying them with steel barricades and hand-held radios.

The mining company, the group said, is also using the military to stifle opposition. At least seven military detachments had been put up in the area.

“Curfew hours have been imposed and lumads (indigenous people) have been restricted from roaming around the forest especially the male members of the tribe,” Tampakan Forum said.

Lt. Col. Alexis Bravo, battalion commander of the 27th Infantry Battalion, said the military’s presence in the mining area was not due to SMI’s presence.

“Government forces have been there even before SMI came because of NPA presence,” he said. (Reports from Judy Quiros, Aquiles Zonio and Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao)