DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/06 August) — Three workers were killed and eight others were wounded when armed men attacked the compound of a chromite mining firm in Impasug-ong town at around 1 a.m. Saturday, Bukidnon, Supt. Canilo Fuentes said.
Fuentes said the armed men, believed to be members of the New Peoples Army, attacked the compound of Nano Mines Trading in Purok 5, Brgy. Kapitan Bayong village.
Nano Mines Trading holds a small scale chromite mining permit.
Gov. Alex Calingasan lamented the poor intelligence of the police and the military. “They should wake up and they should not be complacent,” he said.
Raymond Castro died on the spot while Jose Castro and Victor Aparilla died before reaching the Kisolon Emergency Hospital in nearby Sumilao town.
Rushed to the hospital for treatment were Rodelio Cabaring, Marvine Pinera, Alfie Sobison, Rey Soriano, Glenn Hernaez, Allan Barandanes, Brindo Buagan, and Jeramel Magno.
Fuentes said reports reaching him indicate the rebels attacked the firm for allegedly not paying revolutionary taxes.
He said the report from the police station said the rebels also seized the caliber .45 pistol and an airgun of Paul Magto, the firm’s manager, and two mobile phones of the workers.
Radio station DXDB reported that the rebels also took a chainsaw and cash.
The Bukidnon Environment and Natural Resources Office lists four holders of two-year small scale mining operation permits to extract chromite, the major metallic mineral resource of the province. Four clans of indigenous peoples hold the permits, each occupying about 20 hectares mine site in Impasug-ong town, at Bukidnon’s boundary with Agusan del Sur.(Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)