The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today said that the attacks on three nickel mines in Surigao del Norte in Mindanao underscores the need to pursue the peace process with the National Democratic Front o the Philippines.
The group also said that the Aquino government was well aware of the destructive effects of mining in Claver, Surigao de Norte saying that at least the presidential adviser on environment protection and the head of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau were informed by a TV documentary even before the NPA attacks took place.
"Mining and the environment are important issues in the peace talks. These are part of the negotiations on social and economic reforms which is supposedly the next agenda to be discussed in the talks. Government should look into the economic and environmental issues raised by the NPA and discuss these in the context of the peace talks," said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
"The government is well aware of these issues. There was a recent documentary aired last night on Reporter's Notebook in GMA7 where Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection Neric Acosta was shown footages of destructive large-scale mining operations in Claver, Surigao del Norte. Neric was shocked and exclaimed 'Oh my God, anu yan?' Reyes said.
The documentary was shot weeks ago but was aired just last October 4, a day after NPA raided three mining companies in Surigao del Norte. (Reporter's Notebook full episode can be viewed here http://www.yeheytv24.info/video/30334/Reporters-Notebook–04-October-2011. Surigao mining is on the third segment.)
In the interview on GMA7, Acosta was quoted as saying that the mining firm shown in the footage was clearly violating environmental laws and that it needed to be stopped or cleaned up. "If it violates environmental laws, like Clean Water Act….masusunod ang environmental laws, wala na dapat yan. Itigil mo yan, o palinisin mo yan."
Meanwhile, MGB director Leo Jasareno said they have already dispatched a team to investigate complaints by local residents on the environmental destruction caused by the mining firm.
"The question we should also be asking is, why was the government not doing anything to address the concerns raised by the affected sectors in Surigao? What became of the MGB probe? What did Acosta do after he saw the damning footage of large-scale environmental destruction? Perhaps there would not have been NPA attacks had the government done its work of protecting the environment and regulating the entry of foreign mining firms in the country, "Reyes said.
"From the footage we saw, the environmental destruction was real. The local residents and indigenous peoples were severely affected and were crying out for government help. What was clear from the documentary was that there was no concrete response yet from the government," he added.
Bayan called on Acosta and the MGB to make a report on the steps that they had taken after being informed of the dangerous and destructive operations of the mining firms in Surigao. "They should explain what concrete actions have been undertaken in response to the people's concerns. They should release the report of the investigating team that the MGB dispatched to Claver, Surigao del Norte," Reyes said. ###
from: bayan.ph
