By Tito Natividad Fiel, DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI)
11 November
2006
Dipolog City - The Canadian mining company TVI Pacific has been portraying
itself as a responsible miner, not just in the Philippines, but all over the world.
However this image has been ruined when the highest church leader in the province
of Zamboanga Del Norte has accused it recently of being a 'liar company.'
Most
Rev. Jose R. Manguiran, the Bishop of the Diocese of Dipolog and the Bishop In-charge
of the DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI) in a recent press conference hosted
by DCMI, strongly condemned the lies employed by TVI against the church and its
people.
Bishop Manguiran quoted the report of TVI, which was distributed
during the mining forum initiated by the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) and
sponsored by the TVI mining, to prove the extent and the intensity of TVI's lies.
The
Bishop noted that the TVI report said that "TVI hosted over 300 visitors
on February 20-21, this year led by Bishop Jose R. Manguiran and Mayor Ceasar
Soriano of Siocon. The Bishop led an interfaith rally in Canatuan.
The Bishop
said that he was there in Canatuan not to bless the mining operation of TVI, but
to denounce TVI's mining operation, because they destroyed the sacred ground of
the Subanon people, which is the place that they practice their own prayers led
by their traditional chieftain Timuay Jose "Boy" Anoy.
In the
same manner, TVI continually claims that they are operating legally in Mount Canatuan,
but it has been revealed by the Provincial Government a week ago that they are
operating without the government approved Environmental Protection Enhancement
Program (EPEP).
Earlier this month, the Provincial Attorney of Zamboanga
del Norte, Jess Gal Sarmiento revealed that, based on the record discovered by
Romelo Damuag - who is also member of the Tri-Partite Monitoring Team on the Mining
Gold Project in Canatuan - in the Provincial Environment Development Office (PEDO),
it appears that TVI submitted its EPEP in 1997, but it was not approved.
The
Provincial Government has asked TVI about their EPEP. TVI have replied that they
have it, but when asked for a copy they have failed to produce a copy of the said
document.
Likewise, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) say that TVI
submitted its EPEP in 1997, but failed to get approval due to its failure to comply
the certain requirements.
The MGB Regional Director also confirmed that
TVI failed to submit another EPEP, and its operation in Canatuan is using the
old and disapproved EPEP.
Since the beginning, TVI is operating without
getting all the necessary requirements, but through intimidation of local people
to give in their constitutional rights as citizens of the Philippines.
The
MGB is continuing to defend the deeds of TVI Canadian mining firm despite the
irregularities that they are operating despite lacking several necessary requirements.
