Sunday, June 08, 2008 Mining decision left to lumads
MATI City Mayor Michelle Rabat is leaving the final decision on whether to allow mining in the city or not to the indigenous peoples (IP) who have ancestral domain rights to the vast mineral lands.
In an interview at her office Friday, Rabat said they will abide with whatever decision the IPs would come up regarding the controversial Pujada Nickel Mining Project in barangays Macambol and Cabuaya.
She said the City Government is not poised to meddle with the boardroom battle between the mining giant BHP-Billiton and its local partner, Asiaticus Management Corporation (Amcor).
Rabat said their first priority is the welfare of the lumads, adding that the expected P100-million annual revenue from the mining project is nothing compared to the welfare of their people.
"Before anything else, we protect the interests of the lumads. In the event they (lumads) no longer want the presence of mining in their area, we will always support the lumads. I don't like what's happening now, nag-away-away na ang mga lumad. Some are siding with this company, others with the other company. I heard from them na kung ganyan lang din daw, might as well wala na lang. Sabi ko that's fine, let's go for that if you don't like it. Basta whatever your stand is I will abide by that," Rabat said.
Amcor officials meanwhile welcome the mayor's statement.
In a statement sent to Sun.Star Davao Saturday, the mining company said it is embodied in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (Ipra) Law that lumads govern their own ancestral domain.
Amcor said that with the Free and Prior Inform Consent (FPIC) given by lumads to their company through a memorandum of agreement in 2002, they see no problem with their operation in Macambol.
"Recently, the lumads even passed a resolution demanding that Amcor start mining now," Amcor’s statement further said. (BOT)
