A composite team of Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Army personnel was deployed on Friday, April 14, to the mining exploration site in Negros Oriental’s Sta. Catalina town to quell the tension between pro- and anti-mining citizens.
This developed after the Provincial Peace and Order Council on Thursday, April 13, approved a resolution that would secure the area at Sitio Tarug in the town’s Barangay San Francisco in response to Mayor Peve Ligan’s request.
It is also in response to a joint resolution of three barangays — San Francisco, Fatima and Milagrosa — requesting the mayor for police visibility, Jeff Bungcasan, who heads the Task Force Gold Mountain, which the mayor created, told the Philippine News Agency.
The joint team is composed of around 40 personnel from the local and provincial PNP, the Regional Mobile Force in Central Visayas, and the Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion, Bungcasan said.
“These security forces will be staying there indefinitely as we still have to determine how serious the threat is considering that there are already reports of fighting between those in favor and those who are opposed to mining exploration,” he said.
Ligan on Thursday sought the help of the provincial government after the Midan Corporation started its mining exploration for gold at Sitio Tarug last week.
The Korean-owned corporation has secured a permit from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2018 and a renewal in 2021.
The area covered by the mining exploration is around 884 hectares.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria said in a separate interview that he opposed mining.
Ligan had sought his help in a closed-door meeting last week.
“That is very damaging to the environment and I have heard many stories of other LGUs [local government units] that it’s been abused, destroying the eco-system and forests,” he said.
Only a few selected people can benefit from gold mining, he added.
Sagarbarria said he would assist the Sta. Catalina LGU in its quest to have the mining exploration halted before it is too late. (PNA)