Environmental defenders staged a protest outside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Thursday, accusing police of harassing communities resisting large-scale mining operations. Karen de Guzman, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Environmental defenders staged a protest outside the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Thursday, accusing police of harassing communities resisting large-scale mining operations.
The protest, led by the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, sought to hold the PNP and the Marcos administration accountable for what the group described as attacks against communities defending their land and ancestral territories.
One of the protesters was Lei Jin Dugay of the Kasibu Intertribal Response for Ecological Development (KIRED), a community defender from Nueva Vizcaya.
Dugay said she and other residents have faced police harassment and multiple criminal complaints after they put up a barricade to prevent the entry of equipment and fuel for a large-scale mining operation in their area.
“Isa ako sa mga lider na nagbabarikada doon para ipagtanggol ‘yung aming lugar na sisirain sana ng mining company. Malaking mina ‘yun na gusto pong pumasok sa aming lugar,” Dugay said.
Dugay said their community relies on the area for their livelihood, adding that it is also an agricultural and watershed area they believe should be protected from large-scale mining.
Three arrested over alleged illegal mining in Occidental Mindoro
She cited several incidents in August involving police and the mining company, including an August 5 operation involving around 300 police officers to clear their barricade.
She said police later escorted the mining company's entry and fuel deliveries, during which her father and 11 other community members were arrested and charged with various offenses.
“Kami ay hina-harass ng mga kapulisan doon. Kinakasuhan kami ng maraming kaso, grave coercion, mga cyber libel cases, at disobedience,” Dugay said.
“Sabi ng mga kapulisan, may tumawag sa 911 pero gawa-gawang kwento lang ‘yun ng mga kapulisan para pagtakpan ‘yung ginawang pagprotekta doon sa North Luzon Mining Company,” she added.
The group has since posted bail, with Dugay saying more than P500,000 was raised through donations and support from their community.
'ALARMING TREND'
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secretary General Mong Palatino said the incidents point to what he described as an alarming trend in police action against communities opposing mining.
“Itong mga nakaraang buwan, ang pulis, agresibo, marahas sa dispersal ng mga protesta. Binubuwag ang mga barikada sa mga pamayamanan na may pagtutol sa pagmimina at nagsasampa ng mga harassment cases sa mga aktibista,” Palatino said.
Advocates condemn arrest of Dupax Del Norte anti-mining protesters
The PNP, however, maintained that protesters are free to express their opposition to mining but cannot block mining workers from entering the site or endanger them.
PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said freedom of expression and assembly are constitutionally protected, but these rights have limits when other people’s safety or rights are affected.
“May papel kasi ‘yung kagaya nun. We can sympathize, we understand ‘yung kanilang opinion regarding the mining activity ongoing there, but they cannot prevent ‘yung workers ng mining company to go in,” Co said.
He stressed the PNP is not taking a position on whether the mining activities are appropriate or harmful to the environment.
The issue, he said, should be brought before the proper forum or court rather than resolved through road blockades.
“They are allowed to express their views na they are objecting to the mining activity there. Ito ay dapat pag-usapan sa proper forum, sa proper court. Hindi doon sa kalsada kung saan sila manghaharang at magha-harass ng mga empleyado,” Co said.
RELATED VIDEO: