Groups stage prayer rally for killed mining activists

Church people and anti-mining activists staged a prayer service in front of the Manila Hotel Tuesday to honor those killed in their fight against large-scale mining operations in the country. The event coincided with the opening of an International Conference on Mining held at the hotel and hosted by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines. Co-chair of the Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (JPICC-AMRSP) Fr. Archie Casey said the mining industry should no longer be considered a priority economic policy, as there is no such thing as "sustainable and green mining." “Mining has killed a lot of people. It has affected many communities and we have seen this in the many tragedies that occurred in mining sites in the Philippines. Today we pray for the souls of the lives taken by mining, as we also seek for President Aquino’s action on the issue," Casey said. Also co-organizing the activity was the Seminarian Network and various groups from communities affected by several mining operations nationwide. Among those prayer-rally participants consider as "heroes" who have died for the anti-mining cause are former Councilor Armin Marin of San Fernando, Sibuyan Island in Romblon; Ricardo Ganad, ABC Chairperson from Victoria in Oriental Mindoro; Eliezer ‘Boy" Billones of South Cotabato; Gensun Agustin of Cagayan Province; Fernando Sarmiento from Compostella Valley; and Samson Rivera from Oriental Mindoro. Large-print photos of the "martyrs" were presented by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), a co-organizer of the event. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' National Secretariat for Social Action-Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA) executive secretary Fr. Edu Gariguez said, “we are gathered not to rally against mining companies but to pray for the many lives the irresponsible mining has taken." "Several years back, we already condemned the killings and grave effects of mining to indigenous peoples, and the degradation of the environment," he added. The Catholic Church has maintained a strong position opposing large-scale mining in the Philippines due to its destructive effects on the environment and to indigenous communities. The anti-mining activists called on President Aquino to revoke EO 270-A, or the revitalization of mining policy of the government, to give justice to these killings. “We fear that the mining policy left by the Arroyo administration has held the Philippines hostage to international investors, we hope the Aquino administration will change this," said ATM National Coordinator Jaybee Garganera. — LBG, GMANews.TV