Farmer shot dead at picket vs dust from mines

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippiens—A farmer at a picket outside the gates of a Canadian mining firm was shot and killed by the company’s security guard in Siocon town in Zamboanga Sibugay on Sunday.

The victim, 45-year-old Rudy Segovia, was one of six residents staging a picket at the gates of the TVI Resource Development Philippines Inc. (TVIRD) concession area. They were complaining about dust coming from the mining area.

The company, however, in a statement, said one of its guards shot Segovia in self-defense. TVIRD said Segovia attacked the guard with a bolo.

But Rey Igos, one of Segovia’s companions during the picket, denied this. He said the victim and other residents were just demanding an audience with company officials when security guard Arnie Omonia shot the victim.

“My companion was shot without provocation,” said Igos in a phone interview. “He was shot first in the chest, then in the stomach and then in the head.”

Another witness, Roldan Balingit, said Segovia was still talking with the company guards when he was shot.

The residents have been blocking vehicles entering and coming out of the TVIRD mine site.

Igos said residents have started to become ill because of dust from the mines.

He said all the residents wanted was for the company to water the dusty roads.

Balingit said he and at least 10 families have been picketing for a month to protest dust from the mining operations. <strong><em>.Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao </em></strong>