BY: TITO NATIVIDAD FIEL
Program Coordinator, DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues

October 12, 2006

Dipolog City, Philippines - The Committee headed by Bishops of Dipolog, Prelature of Ipil, Archdiocese of Ozamiz, Diocese of Pagadian, Iligan and Prelature of Marawi (DIOPIM) criticizes the Mining Forum held on September 28, 2006 at the Zamboanga del Norte Convention and Exhibition Center in Dipolog City for its insincerity to include the church such affair.

In a letter signed by Governor Rolando Yebes of Zamboanga del Norte addressed to Charles Alferez, the Executive Director of the DIOPIM Committee on Mining Issues (DCMI) dated September 25, 2006 invited the DCMI to attend the “Forum on Responsible Mining”.

The letter was sent and received by the DCMI Office on September 27, the eve of the slated “Forum on Responsible Mining.

The Executive Director was out of office at the time since he was the speaker for the Zamboanga Sibugay Valley Conference on Mining and Environment held in the town of Imelda Zamboanga Sibugay.

“The mining issue is a very sensitive one and should not be taken for granted”, Charles Alferez, DCMI Executive Director, said.

Alferez explains that the inclusion of the church in any means of discussion regarding mining investments should be seriously considered because no mining at this point in time could genuinely provide development without resulting to destruction and human rights violations.

Alferez said, sending invitation to DCMI on the 11th hour for the said forum showed the lack sincerity and genuine concern on the part of the provincial government. They could have sent the invitation much earlier to give the concern party to prepare, considering that the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau’s letter to the provincial government was dated September 8, 2006.

The Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) Region 9 based in Zamboanga City of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has initiated the forum.

When the DCMI staff asked the letter carrier as to why the invitation was sent just a day before the forum, no explanation was provided.

DCMI was established in 1997 under the auspices of the six bishops of the DIOPIM area and questioning the ability of the Republic Act 7942 known as Mining Act of 1995 to protect the rights of the affected communities especially the Indigenous Communities from physical and economic displacement and environmental destruction.

The committee wherein Bishop Jose Manguiran of Diocese of Dipolog is the Bishop-in-Charge among the DIOPIM Bishops has been known to be an outspoken critique on the reported human rights violations allegedly committed by TVI Resource Development Philippines in Mt. Canatuan Tabayo Siocon Zamboanga del Norte for long time.

However the MGB Region 9 has been alleged to be serving interest of the TVI Resource Development by turning a deaf ear to the alleged continuing harassment employed by the company against the legal and legitimate holder of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) which Timuay Jose ‘Boy’ Anoy.