SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/10 June) — The country’s biggest gold producer denied reports that their firm was attacked by communist rebels on Friday evening in Compostela Valley.
What was raided was actually Philco Mining Corporation, not Philex Mining Corporation.
Rene Patangan, Philex Mining’s media relations officer, described as “false” reports that New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas had allegedly raided their mining site, burning four units of heavy equipment including a drilling machine.
“The reports are false. Neither Philex Mining nor its subsidiaries and affiliates have any exploration or mining-related activity in the Davao Region,” said Patangan who e-mailed the official statement of the mining firm.
Patangan told MindaNews that Philex projects are located in Benguet Province, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte and Zamboanga Sibutad.
The Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) on Saturday said suspected New People’s Army guerrillas raided two mining companies in Compostela Valley on Friday. It named the raided mining firms as Philco and Milagrosa Mining.
Philco was inadvertently spelled out as Philex Mining. The mining firm that was raided was Philco Mining Corporation
The EastMinCom report said an undetermined number of NPA guerrillas raided the compound of Philco in Sitio Tagpura, Barangay Camanlangan, New Bataan at 8 p.m. Friday, burning two backhoes, two Elf trucks and a drilling machine.
A Nissan Terrano SUV was also found burned in Sitio Inupuan, Barangay Mainit, Nabunturan, and the Army’s 10th Infantry Division believes it was among the Philco vehicles that were damaged.
Lt.Col. Lyndon Paniza said about 20 NPAs were sighted in the area.
Four hours later, another team of NPA guerrillas swooped down on Milagrosa Mining compound in Barangay Saranga, Maragusan, disarmed the guards and burned three generator sets.
Witnesses said the guerrillas rode on two Saddam type trucks bearing plate number KEC 517 and MDP 306.
There were no casualties in both raids. (MindaNews)