“Environmental activists join calls to scrap PP1017, say it’s a tyrannical act”

Press Release
March 3, 2006

“Environmental activists join calls to scrap PP1017, say it’s a tyrannical act”

Defend Patrimony! Alliance and ENRAGED (Environment and Natural Resource Advocates for Gloria’s Expulsion), two broad environmental alliances, Environmental groups hold a people’s action in commemoration of the 11th year anniversary of Mining Act of 1995 in Freedom Bell, QC Memorial Circle. The environmental groups renew their call to scrap the Mining Act and vow to defy the PP 1017.

In their statement the environmental groups “calls on all other sovereign Filipino people to protest Proclamation 1017 which, if unchallenged, will effectively clamp down on further efforts to prevent the onslaught of big mining and other exploitation companies that stand to benefit further from this Proclamation or pursue the Truth hiding behind such shadows as the Garci tapes and the fertilizer scam.”

“These two policies of the Arroyo administration come hand in hand in further plundering our natural resources and devastating our environment through the government policy of all-out large-scale mining and logging. PP 1017 is a tool of a tyrant, its purpose is to ensure the suppression of the people actions to protect their environment from destructive mining projects like Lafayette Mining in Rapu-rapu Island,” says Trixie Concepcion of Defend Patrimony, environmental alliance opposing mining liberalization program of the government.

As symbol of their defiance the protesters paint their bodies as placards and shout slogans ‘Scrap Mining Act’, ‘Oppose PP 1017’, “Gloria Resign’, ‘No to Mining TNCs’ and “Save the Environment’.

“There is an increasing trend of militarization and human rights violations in areas of operation of large-scale mining and logging. In the guise of protecting so-called government “economic gains” and against “economic saboteurs”, PP 1017 will definitely be used by the transnational mining companies, PNP and AFP to quell legitimate opposition from local people like IPs, peasants, fisherfolks and mining-affected communities against government developmental aggression projects such as mining. In Rapu-rapu Island, Lafayette now is recruiting local people to serve as militiamen that will secure their operation,” says Clemente Bautista Jr., convenor of ENRAGED.

“Presidential Proclamation 1017 has no legal basis. Its main purpose is to curtail civil liberties and democratic rights of the people. We, environmental activists, remain defiant and are not cowed by the threats of PP 1017. We will continue to protect our mother earth and to protest against the anti-people and anti-environment projects of the Arroyo administration,” says Atty. Ingrid Gorre of Legal Rights and Natural Resource Center.

“Instead of addressing urgent issues in our environmental, the government chose to attack the basic rights of the Filipino people--the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to seek redress of grievances. These rights are the most powerful tools of environmental advocates seeking to halt environmental destruction brought about by the anti-people policies and irresponsibility of the government”, ENRAGED says in their statement. ###

Reference
Clemente Bautista
9248756, 09283448797, kalikasan.pne@gmail.com, 26 Matulungin St. Central District Quezon City