DCMI Bishop in Charge Speaks in Support of Local Government Effors Vs. TVI

DCMI Bishop in Charge Speaks in Support of Local Government Effors Vs. TVI

Pisawak, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines - Bishop Jose R. Manguiran of the Diocese of Dipolog, a Bishop in charge of the DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues spoke on May 11 here in support of Municipal Government efforts versus TVI for committing severe human rights violations against the indigenous people subanon in Sitio Canatuan

Bishop Manguiran encouraged the participants of an Environmental Summit called by Mayor Ceasar Soriano of Siocon to protect the environment and the livelihood of the Subanon indigenous people .

However, Tito Natividad Fiel, coordinator of DCMI also told the crowd that TVI has no capacity for (effective) environmental protection if it commences its operation in Canatuan, because it is just a junior mining company in Canada which has no experience of mining operations except exploration.

He said, even the big mining companies, which have a track record of mining operations from different countries have failed to address environmental protection, just like what happened at Philex Mining in Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte, Marcopper (Placer Dome) in Marinduque province and other mining companies in the Philippines.

The environmental summit was attended by all barangay officials and consituents from 26 barangays of municipality of Siocon.

The municipal government here is gathering thousands of signatures for the total ousting of TVI from Siocon. Even the Catholic parish church here is also initiating a petition for the same cause.