Army bares NPA threat to attack mine firm

LEGAZPI CITY--THE PHILIPPINE Army in Bicol yesterday confirmed intelligence reports saying that the New People’s Army (NPA) was planning to attack Lafayette Philippines Inc. to stop the controversial mining firm’s operations in Rapu-Rapu town.

The firm operates an open-pit copper and zinc mine in the island-town.

Col. Muhammad Nur Askalani, commander of the 902nd Infantry Brigade based in Villahermosa, Daraga, Albay, said military officers had received the information from civilian sources and other intelligence units on the island.

NPA directive

Earlier, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) criticized President Macapagal-Arroyo’s family for its control of the lucrative mining industry and ordered NPA rebels to attack and stop mining operations in the country.

Communist spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal announced a directive from the CPP to stop the operations of mining firms, mostly foreign corporations, in various parts of the country.

Defense shield

Askalani said that despite security threats authorities were confident that the military had enough forces in Rapu-Rapu to prevent any sabotage of the mining firm’s operations.

Lafayette officials expressed alarm at the intelligence report, saying it shouldn’t be ignored.

“The rebels could attack anytime,” said one official, who asked that he not be identified for lack of authority to speak on the matter.

Lafayette representatives snubbed the invitation to the forum organized by the multisectoral Save Rapu-Rapu Alliance (Sara) in cooperation with the provincial government on Tuesday.

The forum was designed to discuss the environmental and socioeconomic impact of the mining activity in Rapu-Rapu.

Protest march

Sara proceeded with a protest march from the Bicol University in Daraga town to the Legazpi City seaport to demand a stop to Lafayette’s operations.

Bishop Lucilo Quiambao of the Archdiocese of Legazpi, who was present in the forum, said his stand now against the mining issue had hardened after the government allowed the full resumption of the firm’s operations.

He said he had asked the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to write all congressmen and senators to help repeal or amend the Mining Act of 1995. The law, he said, was putting the country at a disadvantage.

Mining

Quiambao added that he would start a signature campaign throughout his diocese to build a stronger consensus against destructive mining.

John Concepcion, one of the conveners of Sara representing the militant Karapatan-Bikol, said large-scale mining was a form of human rights violation that the government should not take for granted.

“Large-scale mining violates the economic rights of the people since it threatens the livelihood of fishermen and farmers. It also infringes on our social rights since it destroys the environment,” Concepcion said.

He added that it was the people who should benefit from the country’s natural resources and not the foreign-owned giant mining firms. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon