The framework for the mining debate

Once again, a murder is being used to advance the cause against mining. The propaganda is advanced that mining must be stopped because miners murder good people like priests and environmentalists. First there was the broadcaster Jerry Ortega and then Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio. 

I believe that the modus operandi of using the murders to whip up anger against mining is far wider than the debate between pro-mining vs. anti-mining in the Philippines. It is a political battle between systems and happens in other countries. It is leadership that will decide which way to go.

According to the propaganda Ortega and Tentorio were killed because they were anti-mining. Being anti-mining is one thing, and being murdered for anti-mining is another. The latter has to be investigated and proved according to the rules of law and evidence.

Even before the investigation of Ortega killing began, a 10-million signature campaign was launched against mining. It started in Palawan and then spread out to the entire country because anti-mining groups claimed mining kills people.

But as the investigation progressed it was found that Dr. Gerry Ortega was killed not because he was anti-mining but because he exposed graft and corruption in local government. Ortega’s family now seeks the Commission on Audit to prove that the Malampaya funds in Palawan were misused.

The same modus operandi is being used against mining with the murder of Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio. Nobody knows yet who murdered the priest. He may have been anti-mining but he was also anti-many other things.

He was an organizer and had thousands of followers because of his work with indigenous peoples. He was resented by other groups who had their own ideas about who and how poor indigenous people should be organized. It is pertinent to note that the murder took place immediately after the NPA raided the mining sites.

It is against this background that we should assess the CEAP’s (Catholic Education Association of the Philippines) ad against mining on behalf of Fr. Tentorio. The Catholic educators’ group concludes and invokes the public to “let him not have died in vain”. This is sad if the education of our Catholic youth should be in the hands of persons who do not understand the basic tenets of justice.

In the ad CEAP boasts of its “1,345 member-schools nationwide” that they could call on against large-scale mining activities.

It admits that they do not know who killed Fr. Tenorio but they have called on people to rise up against mining anyway:

“The murder at this point cannot controvertibly be laid at the feet of large-scale mining activities in Mindanao. Fr. Tentorio’s anti-mining advocacy however is a possible, if not probable, cause for his murder. Since 2003, he has lived with the threat of death because of his service to the indigenous Peoples of Cotabato and his advocacy of a safe environment.”

“Fr. Tentorio understood the disastrous effects mining activities would have on his people — despite the consent some were giving to these because of the influence of the mines.”

This, I believe should be the framework of the mining debate. There are two sides to the question — responsible mining or irresponsible mining. There are indigenous people who would opt for responsible mining. Why should they be stopped?

Worse, the ad expands its attacks to The Tampakan Copper-Gold Project in South Cotabato, among others revealing its political agenda. I thought we were concerned that Fr. Tenorio was murdered in Surigao.

It is the Ortega case in Palawan once again to propagandize the real intent of anti-mining groups. It is to stop mining — any mining. They want to enlist Catholic schools, dioceses, bishops, priests etc to stop mining, period. 

Further it threatens Congress if it were not to listen to what they want — to ban mining — small or large because priests and nuns can influence the electorate. What? This sounds more like a fascist threat rather than democratic dialogue and certainly not Christian despite the platitudes of love for the poor. 

It is unfair that a murder in Surigao is used against mining in Tampakan on behalf of the indigenous people there. As woman chieftain Dalena of the B’laans in Tampakan said to media, “those who are against mining are not speaking on our behalf.” She points to jobs, social services, infrastructure that they would never have had until Sagittarius Mines came to Tampakan.

In a dialogue that took place among all stakeholders organized by South Cotabato Governor Arthur Pingoy Jr. environmental concerns of the mining project were taken up by both sides.

The woman chieftain of the B’laans, Dalena invites all those willing to listen to them that they want a better life through responsible mining.

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Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Chile Roberto Schmidt was here to promote new relations between the two countries to help each other advance the cause of national development.

Mining is a difficult industry and it has good and bad sides to it. To achieve the good we must dedicate ourselves to ensure responsible mining and punish those who do not. The framework of the debate is how to achieve development through responsible mining instead of stopping mining.

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I am excerpting the main points of an article written by Rodrigo Alvarez Malla in Mercurio of Chile. (Refoj Lap Tan, a Filipino research specialist and cytogenetic technologist at ity/103095679730320 King Abdulaziz University translated it for this column).

“It says that from all parts of Chile workers are moving to Atacama because of the boom it generates with the largest mining projects in Copiapo.

“It is estimated that in four years 26,000 workers will arrive in the area, and could reach 100,000. There is a 1,000% growth because of the high demand for housing.

“‘Everybody is coming, I found several countrymen who came to try their luck,’ said Jaime Garcia, manager of a company that sells safety supplies for mining companies.

“It is expected that some $22,600 million will be invested for projects that will run until 2018.

“Pablo Carrasco adds the figure will rise because the direct jobs will in turn generate at least three indirect jobs. ‘Copiapo will easily double its current population of 164,000 inhabitants.’

“Higher salaries and opportunities of a growing city are the main attractions for professionals. Cristian Lopez, a civil engineer who came from Santiago Electric says he was attracted by the tranquility of the city and because the pay is 60% better than the rest of the country.”