La Trinidad, BENGUET – Mining giant Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company is readying suits against protesters who tried to stop the serving last September 17 of a writ of preliminary injunction against them in connection to a gold exploration project in Mankayan town, Benguet.
Knestor Godino, vice president for administration of the LCMC said appropriate charges are being readied against those who unlawfully barred sheriffs from implementing a court order allowing Far Southeast Gold Resources Inc. (FSGRI) to fence off an already private property of the firm meant for drilling in Tabio, Madaymen, Mankayan.
They could not be defying the law, Godino said, citing the September 17 scuffle between 100 protesters against sheriffs and policemen implementing the court order.
Even citing Commission on Human Rights Cordillera reports, Godino criticized protestors for continuing to defy lawful orders, the latest of which was issued by Regional Trial Court branch 64 Presiding Judge Agapito Laoagan to allow LCMC to fence the area for its exploration activities.
Earlier on April 23, this year too, the National Commission on Indigenous People - Cordillera Administrative Region has sided with the LCMC and reversed its earlier temporary restraining order and denied the protesters’ request for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction. In that order, the protesters were directed to freely allow FSGRI to resume its drilling operations in Madaymen, upon the posting of a P500,000 bond. “We posted the bond requirement,” Godino said.
Again on on July 24, 2012 the NCIP Sheriff attempted to implement the Orders in NCIP Case 03-CAR-12 dated April 4 and 23, 2012.
"To ensure peaceful implementation of this Order, we sought assistance from elements of the Philippine National Police and also invited members of the Commission on Human Rights to observe that no violations of human rights were committed, either by the company or by members of the PNP," Godino noted.
But picketers openly refused and resisted the direct order of the sheriff, prompting Lepanto to voluntarily suspend the implementation of the order when the protesters reportedly started to become unruly.
Citing lawyer Harold D. Kub-aron, regional director of the Commission on Human Rights – Cordillera, Godino said the protesters openly defied every lawful order.
"There must be a stop into these," said Godino, foisting charges versus protesters.
The Far Southeast Gold Project, a joint venture between LCMC and the South Africa-based Gold Fields Inc., started the drilling in the disputed area in Madaymen late December 2011.
But land claimants (two of the eight families laying claim to the land) with the help of some residents stopped the operations. The protesters eventually built a shack in the area to secure the site and ignored every court order.
The drilling is for exploratory purposes prior to FSGRI's plan to mine an ore body more than a kilometer deep and some areas in Mankayan already agreed for similar activities.
source: http://www.philstar.com
Knestor Godino, vice president for administration of the LCMC said appropriate charges are being readied against those who unlawfully barred sheriffs from implementing a court order allowing Far Southeast Gold Resources Inc. (FSGRI) to fence off an already private property of the firm meant for drilling in Tabio, Madaymen, Mankayan.
They could not be defying the law, Godino said, citing the September 17 scuffle between 100 protesters against sheriffs and policemen implementing the court order.
Even citing Commission on Human Rights Cordillera reports, Godino criticized protestors for continuing to defy lawful orders, the latest of which was issued by Regional Trial Court branch 64 Presiding Judge Agapito Laoagan to allow LCMC to fence the area for its exploration activities.
Earlier on April 23, this year too, the National Commission on Indigenous People - Cordillera Administrative Region has sided with the LCMC and reversed its earlier temporary restraining order and denied the protesters’ request for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction. In that order, the protesters were directed to freely allow FSGRI to resume its drilling operations in Madaymen, upon the posting of a P500,000 bond. “We posted the bond requirement,” Godino said.
Again on on July 24, 2012 the NCIP Sheriff attempted to implement the Orders in NCIP Case 03-CAR-12 dated April 4 and 23, 2012.
"To ensure peaceful implementation of this Order, we sought assistance from elements of the Philippine National Police and also invited members of the Commission on Human Rights to observe that no violations of human rights were committed, either by the company or by members of the PNP," Godino noted.
But picketers openly refused and resisted the direct order of the sheriff, prompting Lepanto to voluntarily suspend the implementation of the order when the protesters reportedly started to become unruly.
Citing lawyer Harold D. Kub-aron, regional director of the Commission on Human Rights – Cordillera, Godino said the protesters openly defied every lawful order.
"There must be a stop into these," said Godino, foisting charges versus protesters.
The Far Southeast Gold Project, a joint venture between LCMC and the South Africa-based Gold Fields Inc., started the drilling in the disputed area in Madaymen late December 2011.
But land claimants (two of the eight families laying claim to the land) with the help of some residents stopped the operations. The protesters eventually built a shack in the area to secure the site and ignored every court order.
The drilling is for exploratory purposes prior to FSGRI's plan to mine an ore body more than a kilometer deep and some areas in Mankayan already agreed for similar activities.
source: http://www.philstar.com
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