Anti-mining village chief shot dead in the Philippines
Published by MAC on 2010-02-23Source: GMAnews.tv, Mindoro Post
Intex Resources' Mindoro Mining Project has a long history of vociferous oppostion (see http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=9845) and that also includes violence against activists (http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=839).
Now a locally elected official, who had been opposing the proposed mine, has been shot dead. Investigations are still in their early stages, but it follows a pattern of violence being meted our to local activists and politicians who oppose mining projects.
Anti-mining village chief shot dead in Mindoro
GMAnews.tv
14 February 2010
A staunch anti-mining village official in Oriental Mindoro province was shot dead in his house last week, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Saturday.
The CBCP news site identified the victim as Ricardo Ganad, 56, president of Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro.
Ganat was on the terrace of his house when he was shot by two men. He succumbed to gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.
Police and National Bureau of Investigation operatives are investigating on the case.
But Fr. Edu Gariguez of Mangyan Mission and spokesman of ALAMIN, an anti-mining group in Mindoro, said Ganad's family suspects politics could be one of the reasons for his murder.
"ABC Ganad is an ally and supporter of Mayor Alfredo Ortega, Jr., the incumbent Mayor of Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, who is a staunch oppositor to the Mindoro Nickel Project of Intex Resources," said Gariguez.
He also said some town councilors are not discounting the angle that the killing might have been related to the mining issue.
"Although Ganad was elected on his anti-mining stand, he was reported to have been approached several times by the pro-mining group to join their side in exchange for certain favors," he added.
Gariguez said the cold-blooded murder left those opposing the mining project of Intex feeling scared.
"They think that the precision by which the killing was executed was a trademark of hired killer out to frighten the groups and personalities like Ganad who are against the mining operation," he said. -LBG, GMANews.TV
Association of villages chief shot dead in Victoria
The Mindoro Post
11 February 2010
CALAPAN CITY-A barangay captain in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro was shot dead by two unidentified assailants on Wednesday morning, police said.
Ricardo Ganad, 56, sustained gunshot wounds in the body, right arm and chest, said Senior Supt. Sonny Ricablanca, Oriental Mindoro provincial police chief.
He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Ricablanca told The Mindoro Post.
Ganad, chairman of Brgy. Poblacion 3 and head of the Association of Barangay Captains, was at the terrace of his house buying fish from ambulant vendors at Sitio Parumagit when two men came, drew their guns and shot him several times, Ricablanca said.
The assailants, both were wearing helmet, fled on board an XRM motorcycle toward Brgy. Poblacion I, he said.
Old grudge could be the motive for the killing even as police were not dismissing politics as possible reason behind the grisly attack, Ricablanca said.
A composite special investigation team was formed to look into the murder that came three months ahead of the May 10 elections.
The team will be composed of officials from the Scene of the Crime Operatives, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Provincial Investigation Division.
It will be headed by Supt. Romeo Estepa, assistant provincial commander for administration, said Ricablanca.