Fake Indigenous Leaders Ask For Mining License To Be Issued In Philippines

 

Posted 07 August 2011, by Staff, Indigenous Peoples, Issues & Resources FaceBook Page, facebook.com/indigenouspeoplesissues

 

(Ed Note: please visit the original site for more content associated with this article)

 

This seems to be a growing trend. Companies are trying to get their permits pushed through by rounding up people from local communities and then presenting them as the “authorities.” See Aldaw Indigenous Advocacy and Networking for more information.

A similar example happened this spring with the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and FMG.

 

Coloma meets with group of tribal leaders from Palawan

MANILA, Aug. 5 (PNA) — A group of tribal leaders from Palawan thanked Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. for helping them have their letter reached President Benigno S. Aquino III.

At least 50 indigenous people from the town of Brooke’s Point in Palawan met with Secretary Coloma at the Bahay Ugnayan in Malacanang on Wednesday to personally thank him for his help.

The group sent a letter to President Aquino on June 17 asking him to act on their request to order the National Commission on Indigenous People to issue the certificate of pre-condition to mining firm MacroAsia Corp.

The issuance of certificate of pre-condition (CPC) to MacroAsia Corp. will pave the way for the mining operations of the Makati City-based mining firm in Brooke’s Point in Palawan.

“Ginagawa naman po ng ating Pangulo, ng pamahalaan, ang lahat para mabigyan kayo ng pagkakataon,” Secretary Coloma told the 50 indigenous people as he asked the group to be patient, saying that there is a process that needs to be followed.

“Unawain lang po ninyo na may mga proseso na sinusunod, ang batas natin, kaya kailangan ay didinggin ang dalawang panig,“ Coloma explained, stressing, “Pero ang gusto po talaga ng ating Pangulo, ng gobyerno, ay matulungan po kayo.”

“Tulungan po natin ang ating pamahalaan, ang ating Pangulo, sapagkat ang hangad lang po niya ay progreso para sa lahat ng mga Pilipino kasama na yung mga katutubo,” he added.

Chieftain Renila Dulay said that they were requesting President Aquino to grant MacroAsia the document that would allow the mining firm to conduct mining operations in the town of Brooke‘s Point.

Dulay, president of the Brooke’s Point Tribal Leaders Federation, said that President Aquino acted on their letter by asking the NCIP to explain the delay of the issuance of the CPC to MacroAsia.

The 50 indigenous people from Palawan were accompanied by columnist and radio broadcaster Arnold Garcia, who helped them ensure that their letter will reach Malacanang. (PNA) /scs/PCOO/ssc

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