Midnight mine deal disgusts Sibuyan Island Communities

February 17, 2010

Press Release

Midnight mine deal disgusts Sibuyan Island Communities

MANILA, Philippines –Sibuyan Island communities in Romblon province express disappointment on Tuesday regarding the large-scale mining license given by the Philippine government to a Canada-based mining firm.

Dubbed as Galapagos of Asia by international scientists, Sibuyan Island in the province of Romblon has been a target of several mining companies. One of which is Altai Philippines Mining Corporation (APMC), holdings firm of Sibuyan Nickel Properties Development Corporation (SNPDC) and subsidiary of Canada-based Altai Resources planning to mine nickel on the island. APMC was recently given Mineral Productions Sharing Agreement (MPSA) permit for 1,822 hectares property, denominated as MPSA-304-2009, signed by then Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza on December 23, 2009.

The news on the approval was made known in Australia by Pelican Resources Ltd. (PEL), parent company of Sunshine Gold Pty. Ltd. (Sunshine), part owner of SNPDC together with Sun Pacific Resources Philippines Inc. APMC has a pending option agreement with Sunshine to purchase the Sibuyan property within ninety days after the granting of MPSA, in which Sunshine was to fund the application.

In a confirmation letter sent to Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for Environment Inc. (SIbuyan ISLE) by Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region IV-B signed by Engr. Roland de Jesus, it says that an agreement was executed between “Altai Philippines Mining Corporation and the Republic of the Philippines represented by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.”

The letter says that in order for APMC to be duly registered, certain requirements has yet to be addressed and copies of the said agreement will be officially released after registration.

"This is a clear disrespect to Sibuyanons, the government through DENR has proven again itself as an agent of destruction. There were typhoons Frank, Nina and Feria coupled with three months of food shortage brought by endosulfan scare. Pending cutting of 70,000 trees, illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal fishing, name it we have it: the DENR cannot even address these issues. Now, large-scale mining? All of us in our island whether pro-mining or anti-mining are all victims here, we are being stabbed behind our backs," says Sibuyan ISLE executive director Rodne R. Galicha.

Domingo Marin, father of slain anti-mining councilor Armin Rios-Marin and President of of Sibuyan-based advocacy group Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM) supported by Sibuyan ISLE, says that “Sibuyan folks are disgusted and annoyed with this kind of development, we were not even informed about the approval and no news whatsoever. We just knew about it when a statement of Pelican was published on the internet.”

“Again, like former DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes’ midnight approval of the cutting of 70,000 trees before he transferred to the Department of Energy, former Secretary Atienza followed the notoriety of his predecessor by signing the MPSA before he resigned. Is this the kind of justice they want to give to my son, to my fellow Sibuyanons, to our children's children?” says Marin.

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide, denounces this recent MPSA approval, which will adversely affect the livelihood and biodiversity on the island.

Referring to the killing of former Sibuyan councilor Armin Rios-Marin by SNPDC security, ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera says that, "with SNPDC and Pelican Resources' inability to rein in their private thugs, we are afraid that they will not hesitate to use force again in the future. From masquerading as small-scale miners, SNPDC's agreement with Altai has now exposed its tentacles as large-scale miner held by the gargantuan beak of Pelican."

"The small island of Sibuyan is a declared mangrove forest reserve under Proclamation 2152 by then President Marcos which falls under the National Protected Areas System and that the approval of the large scale mining permit runs counter to the intention of the proclamation.  Aside from that, Sibuyanons have already registered their opposition to the project and even the life of Marin has been sacrificed," says Ronald Gregorio of Legal Rights and Natural Resources Centre-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC-KsK/FoE Phils).

"Sibuyan is almost similar to Rapu-rapu island in the Bicol region, which is practically isolated from other islands.  Rapu-rapu island in 2006 landed on the news where Lafayette mining corp has been accused of the fish kills in the vicinity of the island from the discharge of chemicals used in the mine operations. this experience shows that small islands cannot hold the pressure of massive earth moving activities like mining.  its like punching a hole into a floating life raft," continues Gregorio.

On Sibuyan Island’s biodiversity,  Blas Tabaranza, Executive Director of the environmental group HARIBON said, “the island is very sensitive when it comes to ecological diversity. Even the feasibility study of SNPDC suggests that there are tree species banned to be cut in the area, not counting the endangered flora and fauna.”

“Sibuyan Island is an important bird and biodiversity area (IBA), the flora and fauna are so unique and diverse the fact that the island has been separated from any other islands since ice-age,” Tabaranza argues.

In a recent 2009 case study of London-based Working Group on Mining in the Philippines (WGMP), Philippines: Mining or Food?, authored by experts Robert Goodland, former environmental consultant of World Bank’s Extractive Industries Review, and Clive Wicks of the World Conservation Union, the experts say that “mining will undermine the island’s ability to feed itself or develop its significant eco tourism potential.”

ATM is convened by HARIBON, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC/FOEI) and PhilDHRRA. (30)

For more information:

Rodne Galicha, Sibuyan ISLE executive director, (0908) 742.19.05

Blas Tabaranza, HARIBON Exec. Director,  (0922) 815.20.21

Ronald Gregorio, Team Leader LRC-Luzon, (0917) 548.16.74

Jaybee Garganera, ATM Coordinator, (0915) 315.37.19, <nc@alyansatigilmina.net> 

Roslyn Arayata, ATM Policy & Advocacy Officer, (0917) 521.7937, <policy@alyansatigilmina.net>