Sunday, June 22, 2008 Pujada mining row far from over: Amcor By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE boardroom battle between the foreign-owned BHP Billiton and the Filipino-owned Asiaticus Management Corporation (Amcor) is not likely to be solved by the upcoming Mining Summit, said Amcor officials.
The Davao Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industries will conduct the Mining Summit next month.
Vicente Jayme, Amcor president, said their problem with Australia-based BHP Billiton is that its officials in the Philippines could not make any decision that would lead to the solution of their conflict.
Jayme was specifically referring to BHP Billiton country manager Troy Charlton whom he called a "highly paid guard" of Billiton.
He said it's useless talking to Charlton since he (Charlton) is not allowed to make any commitment or decision on Amcor's demand for the immediate start of the mining operation before 2010.
Amcor vice president for administration Bong Barrios said this is the strict order made by BHP Billiton senior officials to their subordinates in the Philippines and even including Amcor officials before their joint venture agreement was rescinded by Amcor.
Efforts to interview Charlton for his reaction proved futile. None of the local BHP Billiton officials would also give any statement.
Charlton was in the City of Mati during the arrival of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week along with several of his armed bodyguards.
Jayme said the only way the conflict between Amcor and BHP Billiton would be resolved is if the latter starts operation at the Pujada Properties in barangays Macambol and Cabuaya in Mati by 2010 as they had earlier agreed upon when they forged their joint venture agreement back in 2002.
He said they would also not allow BHP Billiton to get 100 percent control of the mining operation, if ever.
"We have already learned the lesson of being too trusting to our foreign partners and now, we wanted to protect not just the interest of our company but of the community and the Philippine government as well," said Jayme.
He said if BHP Billiton agrees to all their conditions, then they see no reason for their business relationship with the biggest mining corporation in the world not to be restored.
Amcor rescinded its contract with BHP Billiton last year after the latter allegedly failed to comply with its "reciprocal obligations" as stated in the joint venture agreement.
Billiton contested this in a Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC), which later issued an injunction order barring its officials and employees from entering the Pujada Properties of Amcor in Mati and preventing the same from representing themselves as still part of the joint venture agreement with Amcor.
BHP Billiton recently filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals with regards to the Makati RTC's issuance of an injunction order. The CA "held in abeyance" BHP-Billiton's prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order.
The Pujada Nickel Mining project is touted to be one of the biggest mining projects under the Arroyo administration that prompted the President to go to Australia and meet with BHP Billiton and Australian government officials to discuss the project.
The projected investment of BHP Billiton to the project is $1.5 billion.
