TVIRD allows only 3 Environmentalist delegates from PLT to enter to the mining area in Balabag, Bayog Zamboanga del Sur

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By JONG D. CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (Aug. 4, 2014-MPF News) – The mining firm Toronto Ventures Incorporated Resources Development (TVIRD) who has a mining operation in Sitio Balabag, barangay Depore in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur granted only 3 environmentalists representative from the Philippine Learning Tour delegates following their request to visit the area, Environmentalist Official said. 

 

Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Diocese of Pagadian City and co-convenor of the Philippine Learning Tour Antonio N. Ablon said their visit in mining area in Bayog operated by TVIRD is part of the 6-day tour of the environmentalists group in Zamboanga del Sur dubbed as Philippine Learning Tour (PLT) started on August 1 to culminate on August 6.

Bishop Ablon said a group of environmentalists composed of 81 delegations including 10 Canadian nationals spearheaded by the People’s Defense of Patrimony Against Destructive Large-Scale Mining, Environmental Plunder and Development Aggression (PROTECT); Advocates for Peace (AdPeace); and, church-based organizations.

Bishop Ablon also said that Monday morning they had requested the official of TVIRD for a visit in the mining area and after the negotiation of their request only 3 from their delegation were allowed to enter the mining site for security reasons. They will be escorted by 3 officials of the mining company, he said.

Bishop Ablon said that their group had decided and identified the 3 members of Philippine Tour delegation to enter the mining site including him, Rev. Desmond Jagger-Parsons the Chairman of the Board of Directors of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives and Ms. Connie Osorio and the 3 TVIRD Officials also identified as Community Relations Officer Joneil Año, the Officer in-Charge Danny Halago and the Copyright Communications Officer Kaycee Crisostomo.

Bishop Ablon added that the 3 of them were told to have signed a waiver by the TVIRD Officials as a standard operating procedure (SOP) of the company that in case of emergency or what happen to them while in the mining area the TVIRD is not liable for their safety.

The group will be climbing to Sitio Balabag on board TVIRD transportation tomorrow at 12:30 AM August 5, 2014 while the other remaining members of the PLT will be waiting for the 3 members to be back at the Bayog Catholic Church before the group will go back to Pagadian City before 4:00 PM.

Dipolog City Bishop Jose Manguiran, PROTECT chairperson, said Wednesday the tour’s objective is in pursuit of the gift of life and as expression of solidarity to the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), whose ancestral domain was encroached by mining firms.

Manguiran said the tour also aimed to verify the reported violation of human rights and the extent of damages within the IPs ancestral domain.

Manguiran added that the six-day environment tour is in response to the appeal from the IPs and non-IPs whose ancestral domain was destroyed by mining firms.

He said among the places visited are the proposed mining site in Midsalip town, mine site in Sitio Balabag, Barangay Depore in Bayog town, among others.

On August 6 will be the processing of all the gathered inputs and there will be a round table discussion in the morning and to be followed by the press conference after lunch and a report back to the public and the torch parade at 6:00 PM around the City of Pagadian.