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November 17, 2011
News Release

Picket vs SMI signals countdown in next month’s long march

General Santos City – Barely three weeks before the designed long march to dramatize its strong opposition against large scale mining, regional militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN) today staged a protest in front of the Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) office here morning to signal the countdown for its upcoming second Lakbayan in December.

Following the group’s successfully concluded 4-day long march from South Cotabato to Davao del Sur last year, it is now again geared up for another 5-day and 150-kilometer long march, this time switching its route. The Lakbayan II “The fight continues against large-scale mining and human rights violations” is set on December 6-10 from Davao del Sur to South Cotabato.

“Aggressive as Xstrata-SMI’s operations, protest-actions in various forms against the giant company are likewise geared up in the coming weeks. Protests are readied by different sectors including environmentalists, church people and lumads to signify support in Lakbayan” said Ryan Lariba, secetary general of BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN.

BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN has been consistently opposing the $5.9 billion Tampakan Copper-Gold Project claiming it poses a big threat to environment and would evict thousands of lumads and farmers from their ancestral lands.

“People should determinedly resist this giant company craving to exploit region’s mineral resources. With the existing mining industry’s orientation and supposed utilization of the minerals, obviously, people would not benefit out of it, much less, improve the lives of farmers and lumads in the far-flung localities” said Lariba.

The Swiss-based Xstrata is chasing to take advantage of region’s 1.1 Million MT of gold and copper for 20 years or at least 375,000 tonnes per annum of copper and 360,000 ounces of gold per year.


Scrap the Mining Act of 1995, Support the People’s Mining Bill
The group also lambasts Aquino government for not heeding people’s demand to immediately scrap the most-hated Mining Act of 1995. The existing mining law was used by the government to attract foreign mining investors.

“Mining Act of 1995 has already caused large-scale damage in the environment and instigated wide-scale human rights violations against the people in different parts of the country. Large scale mining put the people’s lives and environment at stake. With this, some mining ventures were also attacked by New People’s Army” Lariba further said.

The group, on the other hand, expressed support to People’s Mining Bill that seeks to reorient the current policy on mining industry. People’s Mining Bill or HB 4315, with Rep. Teddy Casino of BAYAN MUNA as principal author, was formally filed in the 15th Congress last March 2, 2011.

“Certainly, we are not against mining. However, our minerals should be utilized to help improve the people’s lives, to help improve our economy. Mining Industry is very essential to national industrialization. It should not be in the framework of profiteering by big foreign investors and big businesses” ended Lariba. ##
 

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November 5, 2011
News Release

Group back bishops, calls on the people to vehemently oppose Xstrata-SMI’s operation

Koronadal City – Regional militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN) today expressed support to three bishops that sought protection of two mountain ranges in southern and central Mindanao against large-scale mining operations and other environmentally destructive projects.

Earlier, Bishop Dinualdo Guttierez of the Diocese of Marbel, Bishop Romulo Valles of the Diocese of Kidapawan and Bishop Guillermo Afable of the Diocese of Digos have been reportedly taking effort to ask the national government to declare the Daguma and Quezonmountain ranges as protected areas.

“We support the three bishops in their undertakings to protect our mineral-rich mountain ranges. We link arms with them and the entire church-people in the region who relentlessly oppose the large-scale mining operation of Xstrata-SMI and other environmentally destructive projects” said Ryan Lariba, secretary general of BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN

The $5.9 Billion Tampakan Copper-Gold project of Xstrata-SMI is situated in the Quezonmountain range. It is touted to be one of the biggest mining ventures in the country and would be taking advantage of the regions’ minerals using open-pit method.

“More than 50,000 hectares in the quadriboundary of South Cotabato, Sarangani Province,Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur has taken over by the company for its looming fully-operation in 2016. Its operation would surely destroy watersheds for the farmlands and rice fields in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani Province and Davao del Sur” Lariba said.

Citing data from National Irrigation Administration (NIA), BAYAN-SOCSKARGEN noted that in Davao del Sur alone at least 7, 421 farmers will be affected when Xtrata-SMI fully operates.

“Even the company’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) results showed that at least 870 families mostly from indigenous people would be displaced” Lariba said further.

Aquino gov’t assailed

Meanwhile, the group assailed Aquino government’s support to Xstrata-SMI Tampakan Copper-Gold project amid strong opposition from local communities, its looming effect and imminent danger to environment and the lives of indigenous people and farmers.

“Aquino government has blatantly turned a deaf ear and blind eye despite broad opposition and continuing protests staged by local communities, various sectors, militants, church-people and even the communist New People’s Army against the company” Lariba stressed.

LAKBAYAN II, the fight continues against Xstrata-SMI

While the company is eyeing fully operation in 2016, on the other hand, BAYAN-SOCSKSARGEN vowed to stage more protests against the company in the coming weeks.

To sum up its one year campaign and protests against Xstrata-SMI, the group will stage again a long march from Digos City to Koronadal City on December 6-10 dubbed as”LAKBAYAN II: Tuloy ang laban! batok sa dinagkung pagmina ug pagpanglapas sa tawhanong katungod” “LAKBAYAN II: The fight continues against large-scale mining and human rights violations”

The 4-day march-caravan will commence on December 6 at Digos City and will advance in Malalag in Davao del Sur where the 400 Megawatt coal-fired power plant of the company would be put up.

Lakbyan will then proceed from Davao del Sur to General Santos City and eventually conclude in Koronadal City to urge the Local government of the province of South Cotabato to fully implement the Environmental Code and reiterate its call to ban and strongly oppose the most destructive project. It would be on December 10, to commemorate International Human Rights Day.

On December 10, the group will reiterate as well its demand for justice of the slain environmentalist Eliezer “Boy” Billanes and anti-mining advocate Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio and other victims of human rights violations. Billanes a staunch critic of Xstrata-SMI who was gunned-down last March 9, 2009 in Koronadal City while Fr Pops, also a critical in large-scale mining, brutally killed last October 17 in Arakan, North Cotabato.

BAYAN stressed that militarization in the countryside intensified without letup since the Xstrata-Smi starts its operation. 27th IB, 37th IB and 73rd IB deployment is apparently for the security of the company. Task Force Kitaco(Kiblawan, Tampakan, Columbio) was also formed.

“The company has colluded with the Aquino government and uses its arm might to suppress the individuals, progressives and even church people critical of the company’s operation. Under the brutal Oplan Bayanihan, the Armed Forces of the Philippines become the protector and private security guards of the company. Militarization in the mining areas intensified causes the indigenous people and farmers flee from their communities” Lariba ended.##

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Hindi ka namamatay
ni Isabelli Tierra

Para sa lahat ng Martir ng Kalikasan! Hustisya!

Hindi ka namamatay
Sapagkat hindi ka dumaan na hindi nag-iwan ng bakas
sinag ng iyong pakikibaka
tapang na makipagtunggali
hanggang patak ng dugo sa batuhan
Sa ngalan ng mga bundok, ng lahi,
sa ngalan ng ninuno, sa ngalan ng inang kalikasan.
Hindi ka namamatay.


Ikaw na naghahangad ng liwanag para sa ating bayan
para sa kapwa mamamayan
ang iyong dugo, ang iyong ugat
ay bahagi ng gubat, ng ilog, ng kabundukan, ng dagat


Ikaw Jessie Camagyan (Hind ka namamatay)
Salamat sa iyong tinig, sa iyong pluma

Ikaw Joey Estriber (hindi ka nawawala)
Salamat sa walang pagod na pag-oorganisa
Salamat sa walang sawang “pakikipag-usap”

Ikaw Tatay Kanor delos Santos (hindi ka namamatay)
Salamat walang takot na lider katutubo
Ng bayang maligalig

Ikaw Boy Billanes
Salamat sa pakikipaglaban
Sa ngalan ng kalikasan
Sa ngalan ng kapayapaan
Sa ngalan ng karapatan


Kayo Expedito at Manuela Albarillo
Armin Marin at Jose Manegdeg
Dr. Gerry Ortega at Dr. Leonard Co
At sa lahat ng martir ng kalikasan
Salamat
Ikaw na walang pangalan
Ikaw na lumalaban


Hindi ka namamatay
Pinagniningas ng alab ng pakikibaka
Pinasisidhi ang damdaming nagpapalaya
Ikaw ay apoy
At patuloy na magiging apoy
Sa aming pakikipagtunggali
Sa ngalan ng mga bundok, ng lahi,
sa ngalan ng ninuno, sa ngalan ng inang kalikasan.
Sa ngalan ng kapayapaan
Sa ngalan ng karapatan
Hanggang sa makamit natin ang kaginhawaan.

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One year too long

November 19, 2011 - 8:04am — webteam

WE mark today one year since our top beloved botanist Leonard Co and his companions, forest guard Sofronio Cortez and farmer guide Julius Borromeo, were shot dead by members of the 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Kananga, Leyte province.

The surviving witnesses from Leonard’s team testified that there was no crossfire and that the military was the only armed group in the area during the incident.

A fact-finding mission organized by the Justice for Leonard Co Movement a year ago found that the direction of bullet marks on the trees originated only from the side of the ridge where the AFP was positioned and had a downward direction toward where Co’s five-man team was studying a tree specimen.

This week, Co’s friends, colleagues and family held a series of activities to commemorate his life and seek justice for his untimely death. On Monday, November 14, an exhibit was opened at the University of the Philippines Palma Hall lobby to share with the public 56 photos remembering Co’s 56 years of service—to science, to environmental conservation, and to the Filipino people. These images, as the exhibit notes say, are “humble memoirs salvaged by Co’s family and colleagues: personal snapshots of the man’s lighter side and images from his extraordinary journey.”

“For those who know him, the exhibit is a gentle reminder of how Co was as a family member, friend, colleague, advocate, and scholar. For those who do not, it is an opportunity to know more about the man and the immensity of our loss,” it adds. The exhibit will run until November 18 and will be brought to other schools in the country.

On Tuesday, November 15, a contingent trooped to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila, urging it to immediately file a finding of probable cause for the murder case against the AFP agents from the 19th IB for the killings of the Kananga 3. They also asked the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to immediately release its findings to bolster the case against these soldiers. A Mass was held afterward by the Co family and his colleagues at the UP Institute of Biology (IB). Faculty members and students of the UP IB also organized a tribute for Co and fellow Biology professor, the late Dan Lagunzad, who died within days of each other.

We continue to call for justice even as we remember Co’s valuable contributions to the field of Philippine botany. One full year has now passed since the killing. Several hearings later, justice remains elusive for the Kananga 3.

Let us recall the basis for demanding definite and prompt action from the DOJ. During the previous CHR hearings on the issue, Senior Supt. John Sosito, then Philippine National Police provincial director of Leyte at the time of the incident, said that a police joint task force concluded that there was probable cause in the deaths and that there was no crossfire during the eventful date. He said during the hearings that Co’s team was probably mistaken for the New People’s Army (NPA) by the military.

During these hearings, ballistic tests had shown that there were bullet casings that matched the firearms of the military, both in the upper ridge and near the tree where Leonard and his companions fell. This meant that there were elements in the military team that were continously firing toward Leonard while walking to their position. These results directly pin the blame for the deaths of the three on the military. It is now clear that they cannot escape the physical evidence and the strong credible testimonies of the survivors.

We hope that the ongoing investigations at the DOJ do not end up like its first report where the DOJ- NBI team ignored these very same facts and testimonies. In January, a DOJ panel released a finding absolving the military of wrongdoing. Due to protests and obvious errors and omissions in their report, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima ordered a reinvestigation of the case.

Yet here we are, one year from that fatal day, still without justice for the death of the Kananga 3. Co’s family and the public continue to thirst for justice in the face of turtle-pace investigations. It angers us that already a year has passed and still not a single word or action can be heard or felt from the Aquino administration. There have been several hearings and an ocular inspection conducted by the DOJ, but there is still no finding from the panel of prosecutors.

Despite national and international condemnation of the shooting, we have yet to hear any public statement from President Aquino on his government’s response to the issue. The AFP has continued to hold on to their crossfire theory.

This inaction of the Aquino government perpetrates the culture of impunity that has reigned in the country from the past. It makes him no different from the regimes that preceded him. Providing justice for the Kananga 3 is a step forward against this deadly trend.

Author:
GIOVANNI TAPANG, Ph.D
Author Description:
Dr. Tapang is the chairperson of AGHAM-Advocates of Science and Technology for the People and convenor of the Justice for Leonard Co Movement.

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Remembering our environmental heroes
November 10, 2011
[This column is contributed by Marjorie Pamintuan of Agham Youth.]

Environmentalism is perhaps a glamorous advocacy that one could think of with its cycling, rock-climbing, and lifestyle fanfare. Yet this glamorous green image gets tainted red with blood as one remembers that environmental advocates have come under attack in the past few years because their grassroots work grates against big corporate interests.

The Philippine environment is one of the richest and most diverse in the world but massive extractive industries such as logging and mining are pushing it to the brink of collapse at an accelerating rate. According to the monitoring of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, there were 46 killings since January 2011 up to October this year. The list includes some of the popular cases such as of Fr. Pops Tentorio, Dr. Gerry Ortega, Leonard Co, and Boy Billanes.

The victims came from different backgrounds and sectors but all had been active campaigners against environmental damage, such as done by commercial logging and large-scale mining. They championed people’s issues in their areas. Their common denominator was their involvement in campaigns against the massive extraction and sell-out of our natural resources.

More than half were anti-mining activists, five were against corporate and illegal logging operations, four opposed the construction of large scale dams, three were working with biodiversity conservation, one campaigning against coal fired power plants, and another leading a battle against dumpsites.

None of the recorded 46 cases of killings have been solved. Moreover, the masterminds have never been caught and punished.

It was in March 9, 2009 that Eliezer “Boy Billanes was shot dead in broad daylight in a market place in Koronadal City allegedly by elements of the Philippine Army operating in his hometown. Two weeks before he was killed, he received threats and found out that his name was in the military’s Order of Battle. A peasant leader who led various people’s alliances and environmental formations such as the SoCCSKSarGenDS - Alliance for Genuine Development, (AGENDA), he stood with the communities and the indigenous peoples in fighting against the company and exposing the ill-effects of mining to their lands, water, and forests.

On November 15, 2010, Leonard Co was killed in an alleged “crossfire” between the NPA and the elements from the 19th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. Among those who died with him were his companions, forester Sofronio Cortez and guide Julius Borromeo. One of Co’s companions who survived said that there was no crossfire and that only the military was there.

The bullets came down only from the military’s direction. Leonard was counted among the finest botanists in the Philippines. His work involved the use of indigenous trees in reforestation projects to conserve the biodiversity of the Philippine forests. He also studied the medicinal plants of the Philippines with the aim of popularizing the use of indigenous medicinal plants.

Gerry Ortega was shot dead in January 24, 2011 by Marlon Recamata, who pleaded guilty but whose case is still pending at the Puerto Princesa trial court. Three others were implicated by Recamata in the assassination plot. Ortega was a well-loved veterinarian, radio commentator, and environmentalist in Palawan. He was a board member in Palawan’s local government from 2001-2004 and used his office to oppose corruption and block anti-people programs in the municipality. He served as a broadcaster in the Radio Mindanao Network to communicate his anti-corruption and anti-mining advocacies to the public. He also served as project director of Bantay Kalikasan-Palawan, which spearheaded the establishment of community-based ecotourism sites.

Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio was killed inside his convent only this October 17, 2011 by an assassin yet to be identified. An Italian missionary from the Pontifico Instituto Missioni Estere, he spent over three decades in defending and developing the Lumad and peasant communities in Mindanao. He was deeply involved in opposing big mining business incursions in the uplands of Arakan and was also at the forefront of opposing a planned open-pit mining and mines waste facility of Xstrata-SMI in Sultan Kudarat that would negatively affect the watershed and forests in that province.

Despite this history of grave occupational hazards, many environmental advocates are not daunted by threats and are ready to continue the struggle. The Task Force Justice for Environmental Defenders formed by families and colleagues of environmental defender victims continue to campaign against injustices.

These environmental martyrs wanted to create a world where we Filipinos enjoy our country’s wealth. As long as justice remains elusive for their families and loved ones, we hold their memory close and raise it as a banner to challenge environmental plunder and destruction. After all, the struggle for the environment is ultimately a struggle for the Filipino people’s future.

Author:
Ms. Marjorie Pamintuan
Author Description:
The author, Marjorie Pamintuan, is a member of Agham Youth and is currently Information and Research Officer of the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) and spokesperson of Task Force Defend Environmental Defenders.