NUEVA VIZCAYA GOVERNOR ASKS PGMA’S HELP IN MINING ROW

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya – Governor Luisa Lloren Cuaresma here has asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to validate and act on alleged abuses of a foreign mining company in Kasibu town, some 60 kilometers from here.

“President Arroyo is also a mother.  I believe that if she will see firsthand the alleged abuses of this company.  Perharps she will tell them to get out from the Philippines, “ Cuaresma said in a radio program through the church-ran DWRV station here.

The governor said OceanaGold Mining Company (OGMC) failed to sufficiently live in to its social responsibility among the villagers of barangay Didipio in Kasibu.

Cuaresma also lamented the alleged inhuman treatment of OGMC officials against the affected villagers in the area.

“We support President Arroyo’s North Luzon Agri-business Quadrangle because it will spur economic growth among LGUs in the countryside.  We also need her help in ensuring that the rights of LGUs are honored and recognized by foreign investors,” she said.

The developed as the provincial government failed to serve the cease and desist order against OGMC for its failure to pay quarrying taxes to the host local government unit.

Environment secretary Lito Atienza in a letter to Cuaresma also said that the mining company need not to pay quarrying taxes to the provincial government because it is covered by the Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) by the national government.

OGMC in retaliation, also charged several provincial officials of abuse of authority before the Office of the President, and grave coercion and graft and corruption before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“This is a clear display of the mining company’s arrogance as it does not honor and recognize the right of local government’s imposing taxes accrued to them,” Cuaresma pointed out.

The governor also expressed disgust because of the company’s failure to settle the issues among the affected villagers in the area which caused divisiveness among the tribal communities in the province.

If they are really true to their social commitments, Cuaresma said the company should have already started the construction of access roads within the municipality of Kasibu.  #PIA NVizaya (Luzon Inquirer)