Filtered By: Topstories
News

Oil spill feared from attacked mining site in Surigao


The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is looking for signs of an oil spill at a mining site in Surigao del Norte that was attacked by communist rebels on Monday. In a statement on Tuesday, Coast Guard spokesperson Lcdr. Algier Ricafrente said they will launch an "oil spill assessment" at the Taganito Mining Port at Hayanggabon village in Claver town. Authorities said some 400 suspected members of the New People's Army took over MV Con Carrier-7, a cargo ship of Aleson Shipping docked at the port and carrying almost 10,000 liters of fuel, and ordered everyone out of the vessel, before bombing it. The ship was loaded with 9,000 liters of fuel oil, 368 liters of lube oil and 138 liters of hydraulic oil. Before bombing the vessel, the suspected rebels attacked three mining firms in the province in a span of three hours. Ten dump trucks, eight backhoes, two barges and a guest house were burned in the attacks perpetrated by the NPA's Guerrilla Front 16, 30 and 21, according to the military. The attacks First to be attacked was the Taganito Mining Corp at Taganito village in Claver town at around 9 a.m. Twenty minutes later, the rebels attacked the 4K Mining at Cadiano village, also in Claver. At around 12:30 p.m., a separate NPA group raided the Thpal Mining, near the compound of the Taganito Mining Corp., its sister company. The rebels also took several mining officers and security guards captive. Among them were 20 Japanese consultants. The hostages were later released, but at least four people, including three security guards, were killed, the Coast Guard said. Five foreign vessels — anchored some 3 nautical miles north of the attack site in Taganito — avoided getting caught in the bombing after the local Coast Guard warned them and advised them to sail away. Instead, the foreign vessels proceeded to a safer area near Hikdop Island north of Surigao City, the PCG added. Ricafrente said MV Melveric and two Landing Craft Tank were likewise spared from the attacks after they were escorted away from the area and into an area 500 yards away from the SUrigao Port in Surigao City. Initial investigation showed the owners of the mining firms were refusing to give in to the attackers' "extortion demands" for the payment of revolutionary taxes. 4 NPA conditions However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, NPA spokespersons "Ka Edroy" and “Ka Maria Malaya" cited four conditions for the armed group to stop the attack: 1. Mining firms must settle royalty fees and other benefits intended for rightful indigenous people affected by mining activities; 2. Address environmental woes brought by mining in the area as soon as possible; 3. Stop all mining operations and construction of the nickel ore processing plants; and 4. Address local mine workers’ complaints of low wages. ‘Ka Edroy’ added that the warning goes out not only to the attacked firms, but to all mining and logging companies in the Caraga region. - KBK, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT