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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Mining firm asks gov't to drive away rebel group in area
By Ben O. Tesiorna
A MINING corporation operating in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental sought the help of the government to get the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) out of their mining area so they can resume operations.
Heritage Resources Development Corporation (HRDC) chairman Alexander Benedicto said the government, both local and national, as well as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army are not taking any action against the MILF presence at their mining site in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Maputi since July 21.
Benedicto said the MILF rebels under kumanders Bashir Takasan and Padil Paradan ordered HRDC's security guards to vacate the mining area that day and started camping there since July 21 until the present.
He said the MILF action was with the blessing of its commander Sonny Davao Sasan, who has supervision over the Southern Mindanao area.
What surprised them though, Benedicto said, is that the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the local government had done nothing about the standoff in the area.
Benedicto said they had already informed the authorities about the problem but no action was made until now.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu earlier admitted the presence of MILF rebels under the 111th Base Command in the area, saying the mining site is still within the MILF's territory.
Kabalu added that they are merely protecting the resources and equipments in the area absconded by the HRDC.
He said the company has a standing debt of P10 million to the Muslim community in the area.
Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Southern Mindanao director Edilberto Arreza said the HRDC started its operation in the area early this year after being invited by a group of small-scale miners, Kauswagan Cooperative, to help them mine the chromite deposit in the area.
Arreza said the problem started when HRDC's financier, Albay Rice Mill, took away with a shipload of chromite without informing the HRDC.
Benedicto said Albay's action was tantamount to mineral theft and a violation of their contract. Lawyers of the two companies are now talking to settle the issue.
He said their problem now is the MILF presence in their mining site, which is preventing them to haul the estimated 100,000 metric tons of minerals still left in the area.
Benedicto assured that once they have sold the minerals they could easily pay their debts to the community.
He blamed the April 25 burning of their equipments by the New People's Army as the reason why their financier, Albay, suddenly abandoned the mining operation.
Benedicto said he already presented their problem to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is also the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC).
He said Duterte promised to convene the RPOC so that the issue could be addressed by the proper authorities.
Benedicto said they just hope that the problem would be addressed soon since they are allegedly losing about P1 million a day due to the standoff in the area.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 2, 2006 issue)
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