Dredger pullout in Leyte, welcomed; mining suspension, demanded
- 20 hours ago
- 1 min read
Unahin Natin Lagi ang Diyos-Leyte (UNLAD-Leyte) and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) welcomed the decision of MacArthur Iron Projects Corporation (MIPC) to withdraw its cutter suction dredger currently located in MacArthur, Leyte.
Brenie Morcilla, UNLAD Secretary General, said the withdrawal of the dredger is “a small victory for our community-led anti-mining efforts”. She expressed gratitude to the residents, farmers, and support groups for their intense opposition to black sand mining. “Because of our barricade, our protest actions, and our prayer vigils, MIPC was forced to decide to pull out their gigantic dredger”.
In its February 16 letter to MacArthur Municipal Mayor Rudin Babante, MIPC said that “in the interest of maintaining harmony and preventing further escalation”, they have made a “difficult but deliberate decision to withdraw the dredger at this time”.
Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, said, “While we welcome MIPC’s decision, we doubt if it is truly interested in listening to the complaints of the people. The residents demand that they stop their operations, especially their entry into prime agricultural lands. Beyond just pulling out their dredger, the company should permanently leave MacArthur.”
Garganera further called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to immediately suspend the company’s operations and cancel its permit. “The harm and damage to the environment and communities far outweigh the supposed economic benefits of the mining project. The DENR should ultimately cancel MIPC’s permit due to the negative impacts of mining and the lack of proper consultations by the local government units,” he concluded.
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