PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines—A dispute between two mining companies in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, appears to have developed into a war between two retired generals.
On Tuesday, retired Brigadier General Alexander Yapching sued retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. at the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao for alleged usurpation of authority, grave coercion, robbery and malicious mischief.
Yapching’s 12-page suit stemmed from a June 22 raid conducted by personnel of Palparan’s 24 Oras Security Agency on a compound being occupied by guards of his AY76 Security Specialists.
24 Oras works for Bayog 9 metals while AY76 provides security to Lupah Pigegetawan Mining.
The two mining companies have laid contesting mining claims over a portion of Conacon village in Bayog. Recently, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau declared Lupah’s operation illegal and ordered the mining company to leave the area.
While Lupah has since ceased operation, AY76 continues to operate in the area in the guise of protecting the ancestral domain of the Subanens, who were being passed off as Lupah’s owners under the Indigenous Peoples Act.
On June 22, 24 Oras guards stormed the AY76 compound and seized high-powered firearms, including AK47s.
In his complaint to the Ombudsman, Yapching said Palparan and his men connived with some local officials when the raid was conducted.
He said the raid was illegal because it was not sanctioned by the proper authorities.
Yapching also charged that Palparan’s men usurped authority when they introduced themselves as members of the provincial environment task force during the raid.
Palparan was not available for comment but Richard Lapira, Bayog 9 Metals representative, said they were still waiting for a copy of the complaint.
Lapira said they can only comment once they formally received the complaint from the Ombudsman.
In Zamboanga City, authorities have started summary proceedings against Palparan’s security agency for reported violation of the provisions of the Firearms and Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervision (Fesags), Chief Superintendent Elpidio de Asis, Western Mindanao police chief, said.
De Asis said that based on the results of an investigation, the raid was illegal as it was without proper coordination with the local police, the Fesags office and the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (Sosia).
“They (24 Oras guards) should not have done that,” De Asis said.
Inspector Leonard Paredes, Fesags chief for Western Mindanao, said 24 Oras’s license could be revoked.
Paredes said Palparan’s men “committed grave violations.”
“They operated, disarmed another security agency and confiscated the firearms of another security without proper coordination with our office or with the local police in the area and they didn’t inform our office of their plans prior to going to the area,” Paredes said.
He said the action was also usurpation of authority because only the Fesags office and the Sosia were authorized to do it.
“We are now weighing all the offenses committed by 24 Oras and there’s a possibility of revocation of their license, we are hoping to conclude the summary hearing before the end of this month or first week of August,” Paredes said.
He said the authorities were not singling out 24 Oras.
Paredes said AY76 was also penalized when the investigating team found out that its men were not wearing the proper uniforms.
“Their security guards were wearing or using black uniforms, which is also a violation of the Fesags and Sosia guidelines. It was the first time they committed an offense so the fine was only P50,000,” he said.
As to the AK47s that were found in the possession of AY76 guards, Paredes said security agencies were “allowed and authorized to use and procure high-powered weapons if they are assigned and deployed within high risk areas like Bayog.”
Bayog is one of Western Mindanao areas where the New People’s Army operates.