Ka Leody marches vs. lifting of open-pit mining ban in South Cotabato
Cantilan declared "no mining town"
This was the message of some 1,000 residents as they staged a four-kilometer march Monday to oppose the entry of two mining firms.
Tampakan project could be single largest investment for Mindanao
Last week, Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) announced the construction of the Tampakan project would cost $5.2 billion, including provision for associated infrastructure like power plant and ports.
"Arrest orders" out for SMI officials, Army officers
Marbel bishop leads protest vs coal plant in Sarangani
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/22 Apr) – Catholic church leaders today challenged residents to take up a bigger fight against the proposed 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Sarangani province as they warned anew of a possible widespread environmental destruction in the area should the multimillion power project eventually push through.
Sagittarius bent on open pit mining
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/22 Apr) – Mining firm Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) is inching closer towards utilizing the controversial open-pit mining method for its proposed large-scale copper and gold mining project in the tri-boundaries of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur following the completion of the company's extended pre-feasibility study.
Aussie officials, SMI in closed-door security meet
Koronadal Bishop wants probe on killing of anti-mining leader
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/10 March) – Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez and other church leaders here have urged authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation on the killing of staunch anti-mining leader Eliezer Billanes at around 4 p.m. Monday.
Billanes, 46, married with three children and chair of the anti-mining group, Soccsksargends – Agenda, was gunned down four hours after his three-hour dialogue with barangay officials and an Army lieutenant following death threats he received, allegedly coming from the military.
Mamanwas lift barricade at Taganito mines; tribe to meet March 12 to settle internal...
Lumads say Mining Act has only worsened their lot
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/02 March) -- Fourteen years after it was signed into law, the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 or Republic Act 7942 has failed to bring development to the indigenous communities, a lumad leader today said.
"Largest royalty payment" to Lumads divides Mamanwas
But no one is celebrating. Instead, there is “kagubot” (trouble).
Mining firm pays Lumads P51.5 million royalty
Mamanwa Datus vow to continue barricade despite payment of royalty
Soldiers hit for detaining nun, companions in Davao Oriental
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/19 Feb) -- A Benedictine nun has accused soldiers of detaining her and three environmental activists in the town of Cateel, Davao Oriental province on Feb. 16.
Sr. Stella Matutina said during the eight hours that they were briefly detained, soldiers of the Army 67th Infantry Battalion poked their guns at them, apparently mistaking them for communist guerillas.
"Mamma Mia! I thought that would be the end of us. Their Armalite rifles are so big," the nun told reporters during a press conference initiated by the Sisters Association in Mindanao (SAMIN).
Mamanwas continue barricade; mining firm vows to pay P51.5 million
TAGANITO, Claver, Surigao del Norte (MindaNews/19 February) – Representatives of the Mamanwa tribe here have vowed to continue the barricade they set up since January 29 until the Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) pays the royalty/share due them.
TMC officials said they are willing and ready to pay the P51.5 million royalty from July 2006 to December 2007 but are awaiting guidance from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on whose bank account the amount would be deposited.
No missing Mamanwa protesters, Datus say
TAGANITO, Claver, Surigao del Norte (MindaNews/19 February) – There are no missing Mamanwa protesters, tribal leaders here said.
Datu Joel Buklas, Datu Reynante Buklas and Datu Alfredo Olorico told MindaNews that they have no missing members, contrary to earlier reports.
Mamanwa tribe now on their 2nd week of "human barricade" vs mining firms in...
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/08 February) -- Some 400 members of the Mamanwa tribe are now on their second week of staging a “human barricade” along the highway of Taganito in Claver, Surigao del Norte, demanding their right to one percent royalty from the gross output of the operations of four mining firms there.
Mamanwa members earlier sent notice of termination to the mining firms, informing them they will no longer allow mining in their ancestral lands, claiming the firms failed to pay their one percent royalty fees since 1997.
MGB says CDO gov't issued mining permits in East Iponan watershed
Unrestrained mining may cause rice shortage, foreign environment experts warn
Church remains firm on anti-mining stance
TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato (MindaNews/13 January) – Investors may have spent billions of pesos for the development of a world-class copper and gold project here, but local church officials have remained firm on their stance to oppose mining operations in the province.
Bishop wants ban on open pit mining passed
SouthCot’sproposed environment code worries mining firm
The foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. had earlier expressed it prefers open-pit mining for its Tampakan copper and gold project.
Lumad leader says gold or copper or zinc, mining “destroys our sacred ground”
Davao Oriental gov downplays mining in favor of agri
Hot lumber found inside SMI compound; SMI denies ownership
Bishop warns of possible water crisis due to mining
Bishop fears violence in minesite as civilians train for “barangay tanods”
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/02 April) -- Hundreds of civilians are being trained as “barangay tanods” (village guards or paramilitary elements) to serve as “supplemental” security forces for Sagittarius Mines, Inc., a move Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez says is “not very good” as “we are becoming violent.”
PGD surprised by NPA charges against him
NPA warns more attacks vs SMI
48 big mining firms want to operate in Bukidnon
Nickel mining firm shut down 6 months ago to reopen in Agusan
Farmers block drilling firm hired for gold explo in Surigao
Residents picket mining firm’s office in Mati
NIA official warns of flashfloods in proposed mining site
XStrata rejects Vale takeover bid
In a report that appeared in several websites, XStrata Plc reportedly considered the $40 per share offer of Vale too low and is holding out from the multi-billion takeover talks.
49 firms file 64 mining applications in Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani area
SMI hires world’s leading security provider
Brazilian mining company in takeover tlaks with XStrata
Group urges South Cot legislature to ban open pit mining
Hired Aussie security consultant fails to deter rebel attack on SMI
Bishop to SMI: “please leave, and our people will have peace”
Consult the Lumad communities, IP rep says
This was the reaction of Wilfredo Sanggayan, the indigenous peoples’ (IP) representative to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of this province, to a published report that mining firm Pacifica Inc. made a P50-million loan to Zam-Iron Mining Corp. for the latter’s exploration of metal deposits in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
NPA abducts militiaman in Tampakan mines
Environmentalists, Lumads gear up vs entry of mining firms in Bukidnon
Sagittarius Mines to pursue exploration despite NPA attack
Troops deployed to secure Tampakan minesite
Rebels storm Tampakan mining camp, burn 2 buildings
Barangay chair says people should decide to allow or not allow mining
Domingo Hingpit, St. Peter barangay chair, said he wants the people, not just the barangay council, to decide on the issue.
T’bolis fight over mining rights
Constancio Paye Jr., Mines and Geosciences Bureau – Region XII director, said they tried but failed to settle on Wednesday the conflict between T’boli natives and the T’boli Minahang Bayan Multi-Purpose Cooperative.