PAGADIAN
CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, July 31 (PNA) – The Indigenous Peoples (IP) of the
nearby town of Midsalip has found an ally in its opposition of mining
operations within their ancestral domain.
This
came after the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace has expressed support,
through a resolution, to the IPs questioning the decision of National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Regional Director Woy Lim Wong allowing
the conduct of a Field Base Investigation (FBI) in relation to the 168 Ferrum
Pacific Mining Corporation’s mining application.
Interfaith
Secretary Faye Reyes said Friday the resolution, authored by San Jose Parish
Priest Fr. Rene Herrera, was adopted during the interfaith’s meeting held on
Sunday.
Reyes
said they noted that the IPs in Midsalip strongly oppose Wong’s decision “from
the very beginning” due to deception by the 168 FPMC when the mining firm
applied for a Mining Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA).
The
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) awarded an MPSA to 168 FPMC after the firm
submitted a Certification of Precondition issued by the NCIP for the IP barangays
in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur and also a Certificate of Non-Overlap (CNO) for the
two non-IP barangays namely Canipay Sur and Canipay Norte in Midsalip town.
However,
the 168 FPMC insisted that 10 IP barangays of Midsalip were included in the
original application although there was no mention of the 10 areas.
The
IPs questioned how the mining firm managed to acquire MPSA covering the 10 IP
barangays in Midsalip since there was no free and prior informed consent from
them.
Reyes
said the IPs were caught by surprise why Wong allowed the mining firm to
conduct FBI since they elevated the matter to the Commission En Banc.
Reyes
said Wong should have waited for the decision of the Commission before allowing
the 168 FPMC to conduct Field Base Investigation. (PNA)
CTB/TPGJR/Hirohito
D. Cadion
No comments:
Post a Comment