BAYAN scores no let-up in troops deployment in south minda; protests Diwalwal sell-out

Press Release

June 9, 2010

Davao City –The Bagong Alyangsang Makabayan (BAYAN) strongly condemned the continued troop build-up in the region, saying it is a portent of more human rights violations and other bloodbath to come in an area long beset with military abuses against civilians.

BAYAN also feared that the deployment is a cue to a forcible private mining firm takeover of the mineral-rich Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley—the newly deployed soldiers will serve as private armies to protect the interests of giant mining companies over the mineral reserves of the Diwalwal reservation.

ON FRIDAY, SOLDIERS FROM THE 84TH INFANTRY BATTALION reportedly ARRIVED IN HIJO BEACH IN MADAUM, AN ADDITIONAL FORCE TO THE 71ST IB WHO ARRIVED ON MAY 24..

JOHN BIRONDO, SPOKEPERSON OF BAYAN-SOUTHERN MINDANAO, TOOK A SWIPE OVER THE SUPPORT SHOWED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF MORE TROOPS IN DAVAO DEL NORTE AND COMPOSTELA VALLEY.

“As Governor ARTHURO Uy gave clearance for mining activities to continue, the newly deployed troops will surely be part in the Diwalwal takeover, within Compostela Valley, as what military troops have been doing to serve big corporations’ interest. They will gear up for the clearing operations prior to the actual operations of the mining corporations,” said Birondo.

BIRONDO SAID THAT CONTRARY TO WHAT MAJ. GEN. CARLOS HOLGANZA, COMMANDER OF THE 10TH INFANTRY DIVISION claims, THE ADDITIONAL SOLDIERS IN COMPOSTELA VALLEY AND THE OTHER PARTS OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO will threaten CIVILIANS WHO ARE OFTEN ACCUSED OF state enemies, especially those resisting development agression in areas like Diwalwa..

“Whatever mining corporation should take Diwalwal, Philex and other bidders, would only extract the rich gold resource of the province at the expense of the small miners and settlers of the Diwalwal community. The take-over of large-scale mining firms contravenes our national sovereignty and patrimony because these firms are merely dummies of foreign mining firms," said Birondo.

He added that the additional troops reinforcement in the 10th ID indicates that the government is not at all considering lifting its abusive counter-insurgency all-out war policy in the region, even with the installation of the new Noynoy Aquino presidency.#