IBA, Zambales – An environmental task force official in Zambales revealed on Thursday that an alleged “untouchable” mining firm based in Sta. Cruz town is employing an array of heavily armed men, “which is why its reported illegal activities and abuses throughout the province continue to prosper.”
This was confirmed by Noel S. Ferrer, vice-chairman of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB), saying that mining company A3UNA is “thus becoming notorious mainly because of the presence of an undetermined number of well-armed men many of them seen brandishing AK-47 rifles”.
Ferrer said they were alerted by another report that 10 of these “AK-47-wielding guardsmen” swooped down on an area beside the supposed mining claim area and allegedly terrorized residents who were merely fencing their yard located in a Community–Based Forestry Management area (CBFMT) at Panan, Botolan town.
“Talagang nakakatakot sila at matatapang pati dahil sa mga dalang armas panggiyera,” added Ferrer who is also the provincial legal officer.
Showing PMRB Resolution 2009-001 Ferrer also confirmed A3UNA is operating without valid permit and that his office and allied local government units or even police authorities are not welcome in A3UNA territories as in the case of a recent incident when a provincial task force was refused entry at the firm’s new site at Mabanglit, in Cabangan town and thus was prevented from serving a desist order and validate alleged reports of violations.
He said the outfit seems to be more lawless now and their notoriety is mounting as gleaned from various complaints of individuals varying from alleged harassments to illegal discharge of firearms and blockade of village roads, destruction of environment, etc.
In Sta. Cruz town, residents of Guinabon led by village chair Alberto Aquino filed cases of abuse, harassments and illegal occupancy by A3UNA of their community access road when they put up alleged checkpoint and barracks.
In Palauig town, Hayuma Mining company which is partly owned by a Japanese businessman also complained of blocking their area access route while in Cabangan town Genaro Blanco, leader of an upland farmers association in Mabanglit village could not resist the overwhelming force of said firm when fully armed company personnel forcefully occupied about 100 hectares of their farm-lots.
In the neighboring village of Panan in Botolan, town residents likewise accused A3UNA of impeding the river flow causing their irrigation system to dry and effectively stopping their main source of livelihood.
‘Parang mga basang sisiw kami dito kasi dambuhala ang kalaban namin kaya tila walang silbi ang mga otoridad sa mga problema namin laban sa kumpanyang ito,” Blanco said when reached for interview.
A3UNA, according to data gathered is owned by Fil-Chinese businessman Adrian Yu and that the said firm is holder of a Mining Permit Sharing Agreement (MPSA) as approved reportedly by DENR. Its Small-Scale Mining Permit (SSMP) however was not renewed and approved by Governor Amor Deloso.
“The fact that they are operating without valid permit in their mining operations is a reflection of their flawed business and “lawless” ways,” Deloso remarked in a phone interview.
On the other hand Senior Supt. Rolando Felix, Zambales Provincial Police Office (ZPPO), Director explained “that the company is allowed by law to tap a security agency of their choice for their protection and that the Manila-based 1st Line Security Agency, the security agency employed by A3UNA is legitimate and authorized to carry high powered firearms.”
Felix, however, expressed disappointments over the complaints being hurled against A3UNA even as he claimed his men had already disarmed the security guards last year in barangay Bolitoc Sta. Cruz town when the company figured in a near clash with rival company personnel of DMCMCI.
Meanwhile, A3UNA Project Manager Jaime Lazaro in earlier interview explained his company is legally operating and it’s only normal that they employ able security guards because they are mandated by law to protect their respective areas of business.
“We are spending here millions of pesos in our operations and we can honestly say we are paying our share of taxes well to the government,” he said.
“As for the weapons issue, it’s the role of the security agency to explain because we hired them anyway but the way I look at it Zambales province is “a hot-spot area” in terms of insurgency problem the reason why we need such protection,” he added.
But one thing many citizens here like Mang Jose Diago an Aeta landowner and one of the alleged victims would like to see is the dismantling and removal from the place of these heavily armed groups now reigning over their heads and territories and making their lives difficult.
“Ganyan na ba ang kalakaran sa ating bansa ngayon na kung sino ang mayayaman ay siyang naghahari?” Mang Jose asked.
This was confirmed by Noel S. Ferrer, vice-chairman of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB), saying that mining company A3UNA is “thus becoming notorious mainly because of the presence of an undetermined number of well-armed men many of them seen brandishing AK-47 rifles”.
Ferrer said they were alerted by another report that 10 of these “AK-47-wielding guardsmen” swooped down on an area beside the supposed mining claim area and allegedly terrorized residents who were merely fencing their yard located in a Community–Based Forestry Management area (CBFMT) at Panan, Botolan town.
“Talagang nakakatakot sila at matatapang pati dahil sa mga dalang armas panggiyera,” added Ferrer who is also the provincial legal officer.
Showing PMRB Resolution 2009-001 Ferrer also confirmed A3UNA is operating without valid permit and that his office and allied local government units or even police authorities are not welcome in A3UNA territories as in the case of a recent incident when a provincial task force was refused entry at the firm’s new site at Mabanglit, in Cabangan town and thus was prevented from serving a desist order and validate alleged reports of violations.
He said the outfit seems to be more lawless now and their notoriety is mounting as gleaned from various complaints of individuals varying from alleged harassments to illegal discharge of firearms and blockade of village roads, destruction of environment, etc.
In Sta. Cruz town, residents of Guinabon led by village chair Alberto Aquino filed cases of abuse, harassments and illegal occupancy by A3UNA of their community access road when they put up alleged checkpoint and barracks.
In Palauig town, Hayuma Mining company which is partly owned by a Japanese businessman also complained of blocking their area access route while in Cabangan town Genaro Blanco, leader of an upland farmers association in Mabanglit village could not resist the overwhelming force of said firm when fully armed company personnel forcefully occupied about 100 hectares of their farm-lots.
In the neighboring village of Panan in Botolan, town residents likewise accused A3UNA of impeding the river flow causing their irrigation system to dry and effectively stopping their main source of livelihood.
‘Parang mga basang sisiw kami dito kasi dambuhala ang kalaban namin kaya tila walang silbi ang mga otoridad sa mga problema namin laban sa kumpanyang ito,” Blanco said when reached for interview.
A3UNA, according to data gathered is owned by Fil-Chinese businessman Adrian Yu and that the said firm is holder of a Mining Permit Sharing Agreement (MPSA) as approved reportedly by DENR. Its Small-Scale Mining Permit (SSMP) however was not renewed and approved by Governor Amor Deloso.
“The fact that they are operating without valid permit in their mining operations is a reflection of their flawed business and “lawless” ways,” Deloso remarked in a phone interview.
On the other hand Senior Supt. Rolando Felix, Zambales Provincial Police Office (ZPPO), Director explained “that the company is allowed by law to tap a security agency of their choice for their protection and that the Manila-based 1st Line Security Agency, the security agency employed by A3UNA is legitimate and authorized to carry high powered firearms.”
Felix, however, expressed disappointments over the complaints being hurled against A3UNA even as he claimed his men had already disarmed the security guards last year in barangay Bolitoc Sta. Cruz town when the company figured in a near clash with rival company personnel of DMCMCI.
Meanwhile, A3UNA Project Manager Jaime Lazaro in earlier interview explained his company is legally operating and it’s only normal that they employ able security guards because they are mandated by law to protect their respective areas of business.
“We are spending here millions of pesos in our operations and we can honestly say we are paying our share of taxes well to the government,” he said.
“As for the weapons issue, it’s the role of the security agency to explain because we hired them anyway but the way I look at it Zambales province is “a hot-spot area” in terms of insurgency problem the reason why we need such protection,” he added.
But one thing many citizens here like Mang Jose Diago an Aeta landowner and one of the alleged victims would like to see is the dismantling and removal from the place of these heavily armed groups now reigning over their heads and territories and making their lives difficult.
“Ganyan na ba ang kalakaran sa ating bansa ngayon na kung sino ang mayayaman ay siyang naghahari?” Mang Jose asked.
