Green groups urge court to immediately stop destructive mining projects

TACLOBAN CITY, June 7 (PNA) -- Eastern Samar province in Eastern Visayas - along with Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, and Palawan - is now at the center of various anti-mining advocacies in the country as green groups have intensified their opposition towards mining projects that violated environmental laws and human rights of communities.

A coalition of anti-mining groups Green Thumb Coalition (GTC) called on President-elect Rodrigo Duterte for “green justice for all the violations caused by mining operations in the different provinces.”

In a statement, it said the affected communities explained a petition filed in the Supreme Court questioning the fiscal regime provided by the Mining Act of 1995 specifically Sections 80-81 that allows for inequitable sharing of wealth from our mineral resources contrary to the 1987 Constitution

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“In Manicani island, Eastern Samar, mining-affected communities question how Hinatuan Mining Corporation was allowed to gather nickel ore stockpile in the past weeks despite the suspension of its operations since 2002. The mining operations were suspended by DENR due to environmental concerns yet mining companies are still issued ore transport permit to ship nickel ores for processing elsewhere.

“Tension grips the island as HMC pursues loading from its mineral stockpile while residents led by SAMAMO continue to hold a barricade against the hauling,” the group said in a statement on the occasion of the World Environment Day on Sunday.

According to the group, “in all the cases presented, environment and human rights advocates question the actions and inactions of government agencies that allow mining to continue on despite strong opposition and evidence of environmental and human rights violations.”

“The most immediate that we can demand is a moratorium on all mining operations in the country while the Duterte Administration review and address the loopholes in the current mining policy. We also expect a review and evaluation of all mining projects, and that erring mining firms will be suspended and sanctioned,” said Alyansa Tigil Mina national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

The group is pushing for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 and the enactment of the Alternative Minerals Management Bill. According to the group, the AMMB presents a sustainable, rational, needs-based minerals management policy geared towards effective utilization of mineral resources for an ecologically-sound national industrialization and modernization of agriculture.

GTC is a 10-million strong coalition challenging presidential, vice presidential and other political candidates to put socio-environmental issues in their electoral platforms. The group will "monitor the action agenda for the first 100 days of the elected officials and follow up on their commitments for the environment and Filipino communities."

Its member groups are Alyansa Tigil Mina, Save Manicani Movement, Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI), Sanlakas,

Concerned Citizens of Sta Cruz Zambales, and Didipio Earth-Savers Multi-purpose Association, among others. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/RONALD O. REYES/EGR