Protesters claim victory vs Mindoro Nickel

With the temporary revocation of the environmental clearance certificate (ECC) for the Mindoro Nickel Project, protesters are celebrating partial victory against the operations of Intex Resources, even as they vowed to continue their opposition to all mining activities on the resource-rich island. “We claim this as a victory, although the ECC was not totally cancelled," said Alyansa Tigil Mina coordinator Jaybee Gargarena in a telephone interview Monday. “This will be a long struggle still," he added. On Friday, 25 protesters composed of indigenous peoples, priests, and other affected residents of Mindoro island ended their 11-day hunger strike in front of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) offices after Sec. Joselito Atienza announced that he had temporarily revoked the ECC of the mining company.

The hunger strikers represented the 25-year moratorium on large-scale mining imposed by the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro, one of the two provinces on Mindoro island. They said the mining project of Intex is located in a critical watershed and ancestral domain of the Mangyan indigenous people, and would pose a threat to the livelihood of local communities. Bishop Broderick Pabillo, one of the supporters of the Mindoro protesters, commended the DENR’s action as this would pave the way for a closer investigation of the issue. “Ibig sabihin, gusto nilang matupad yung batas sa maayos na paraan," he said. Another anti-mining advocate, Jeff Rafa of Alyansa Laban sa Mina, said the withdrawal of the ECC was no small victory. “Malaking bagay, dahil mapipigilan ang tuloy-tuloy na pagpasok ng mga mining operation, at malaki ang epekto sa consolidation ng local groups. Nakikita na pag nagsama-sama, nagtatagumpay," he said. Two community leaders from Mindoro, Edgardo Cruzado and Jose Cruzado from the Kapulungan Para sa Lupaing Ninuno, were brought to the hospital after suffering from hypoglycemia at the height of the strike. Both were released and the hunger strikers headed back to Mindoro on Saturday morning after resting overnight at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City. Impartial investigation Earlier, the DENR had suspended the ECC for 90 days in response to the protest but the hunger strikers refused to budge from their camp on the sidewalk in front of the DENR. On Friday, Atienza announced the temporary revocation of the ECC he had issued to Intex Resources after a thanksgiving mass attended by the hunger strikers, nuns, anti-mining advocates and local government officials of Mindoro. “In the interest of the service and in view of the seriousness of the allegations attendant to ECC-CO-094-007-2721 dated October 14, 2009 issued by this Department in favor of Intex Resources for the Nickel Mining Project in the Provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, the ECC is hereby temporarily revoked pending completion of a thorough and impartial investigation that will validate all allegations," the DENR Special Order signed by Atienza stated. Atienza invited the protesters to join an “independent, impartial investigating" group that will include representatives of civil society groups and indigenous communities of Mindoro, in order to look into the complaints of the protesters and alleged lapses in the issuance of the ECC. He added that the report of the investigating team would be submitted to him 15 days after it completes the task and will be “the basis of resolving the issues surrounding the ECC." An act of betrayal Fr. Edwin Gariguez, spokesperson of Alyansa Laban sa Mina, has described the granting of the ECC to Intex as a “brazen act of betrayal of public trust" on the part of the DENR. “Consultation with and consent of LGUs are prerequisite before issuing the ECC to any environmentally-critical projects, like mining. But Atienza trivialized and made a mockery of this legal requirement," Gariguez said. Groups opposing the project decried the lack of public consultation on the issue. The nickel facility is located within a watershed, the source of irrigation for some 50,000 hectares of rice fields accounting for half of the total rice production in the province, according to a statement of the Alyansa Tigil Mina, an anti-mining group. Bishop Warlito I. Cajandig, Apostolic Vicar of Calapan, supported the protest against the controversial mining activity of Intex. “Any project, if it is really intended for development, should genuinely respond to the needs of the people in order for them to have the fullness of life," he said in a statement. Intex exploration continues Despite the setback, Intex will continue its exploration activities in Mindoro as well as its information campaign with local communities, officials said. Jake Foronda, project manager of the Mindoro Nickel Project, said it will provide employment and potential energy sources for people in the province. “We expect the feasibility study to be finished around February," he said. The DENR has notified Intex about the revocation and requested the company to submit documentation about public consultations held about the project. Intex was also asked to answer allegations that the proposed project is within a watershed area. According to Intex, these issues were addressed in the Environmental Impact Assessment conducted last year. “The critical and protected watersheds in the country are all published and our site does not sit on one. Actually, all rain-fed places in the Philippines are watersheds but our site is not sitting on one that is critical or protected," Foronda said. In a statement posted on the company website, Intex President and CEO Erlend Grimstad said exploration activities in its 100-square kilometer mining concession in the central part of Mindoro island are going on as scheduled. “Intex Resources will continue to address environmental concerns as they arise. We are confident that the continuous dialogue with environmental authorities will ensure that all emerging issues will be handled responsibly and expeditiously," Grimstad added. – YA/GMANews.TV