The legal harassment of anti-mining residents in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya continues. Today, September 24, the Municipal Trial Court of Kasibu and the Regional Trial Court of Bayombong issued separate warrants of arrest against Indigenous People anti-mining leaders Donny Dugay and Municipal Councilor Glenn Guingayan in cases involving cyberlibel and grave coercion.
The Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines (CEC), in solidarity with the barricading communities of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, strongly condemns the continued presence of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the people’s anti-mining barricade in Barangay Paquet and calls for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel from the area.
The Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines (CEC) joins environmental advocates and local communities in calling for an immediate end to the escalating attacks against residents of Nueva Vizcaya who are defending their lands and homes from destructive mining.
“Mayaman ang kalikasan ng Pilipinas, ngunit naghihirap ang mamamayang Pilipino dahil sa lokal at dayuhang kapitalistang pandarambong ng mga korporasyon na pinapahintulutan at hinihikayat ng pamahalaan.” (The Philippine environment is rich, but the Filipino people are suffering due to local and foreign capitalist plunder of corporations enabled and encouraged by the government.)
The Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines (CEC) stands in solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and environmental human rights defenders of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya in calling for the immediate dismissal of the cyber libel complaint against Atty. Fidel G. Santos and Atty. Edgardo C. Balgos. We likewise call for an end to the continuing reprisals against those defending their ancestral lands, environment, and communities from the exploration activities of North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation (NLMRC).
The Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC) welcomes the temporary suspension of Woggle Corporation’s mining exploration permit dated February 5. This development is a victory made possible by the steadfast resistance and people’s barricade of Novo Vizcayanos in Dupax Del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, for their lands and rights.
