Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 74

______________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Reps. TEODORO A. CASIÑO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

RESOLUTION
DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL CULTURAL COMMUNITIES TO
CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THE ALLEGED
ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
COMMITTED BY METALS EXPLORATION PLC, A BRITISH MINING FIRM,
AGAINST TRIBAL RESIDENTS OF BARANGAY RUNRUNO, QUEZON, NUEVA
VIZCAYA WHO OPPOSE THE SAID COMPANY’S MINING EXPLORATION
ACTIVITIES

WHEREAS, Metals Exploration Plc, the British parent company of MTL Philippines, also known
as FCF Minerals, first became involved in the exploration of mineral deposits at Barangay Runruno,
Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya in 2005 and have since undertaken extensive scientific and geological
surveys. The company said that their findings during their on-site inspection were highly
encouraging and bode well for the possible start of commercial both gold and molybdenum mining
operations in the near future;

WHEREAS, mining firm’s exploration permit covering about 3,090 hectares in Barangay Runruno
was first issued to Greenwater Mining Corp. in 2000 and was transferred to FCF Mining Corp. on
January 22, 2002;

WHEREAS, in February 2005, FCF Mining forged a deal to allow Metals Exploration Plc through
MTL Philippines to explore and develop the Runruno project. The original permit was renewed in
2005, and expired on July 21, 2007, and was renewed again by then Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Angelo Reyes on July 30 – a day before he left his post;

WHEREAS, local residents, including members of the Kalanguya, Kankanaey and Ibaloi tribes,
oppose the foreign-backed mining project as they believe that Metals Exploration’s entry into their
community is illegal and would endanger their agriculturally-based livelihood;

WHEREAS, the Runruno Landowners Association [RULANAS], Dipilipig Farmers and Irrigators
Association, Caliat Irrigators Association, Nalubbunan Irrigators Association, and the Quezon
Multisectoral Association, all organizations in the upland areas of Quezon town, have petitioned the
local government units of the province and the House Committee on National Cultural
Communities to investigate the harassment of the mining firm and its instrumentalities against the
community residents;
WHEREAS, Metals Exploration Plc, MTL Philippines, FCF Minerals and Greenwater Mining
Corp. did not obtain consent from the indigenous people in the community to conduct exploration
activities;

WHEREAS, the Municipal Council of Quezon issued Resolution No. 24-A s-2007 endorsing the
petition of RULANAS, the Irrigators Associations and residents affected by the mining firm’s
activities opposing the mining operations, saying that the continued operation of any mining activity
in Barangay Runruno is prejudicial to the interests of the municipality;

WHEREAS, the Provincial Board of Nueva Vizcaya in support of RULANAS, the farmer-
irrigators associations and residents of downstream barangays in Quezon town, passed Resolution
No. 2007-525 requesting then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to immediately stop the mining
exploration activities of Metals Exploration Plc, MTL Philippines, FCF Minerals;

WHEREAS, the Provincial Board cited studies of the DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau on
the susceptibility of Quezon town to floods and landslides in opposing mining activities in the said
area;

WHEREAS, Nueva Vizcaya Governor Luisa Cuaresma was alarmed by the exploration activities
being conducted by Metals Exploration Plc in Runruno, fearing a repeat of the “massive
devastation” wrought by Typhoons Paeng and Queenie in 2006;

WHEREAS, Cuaresma said she was convinced that the conduct of any mining activity in the area
will enhance the probability of another massive landslide that killed at least 13 people when flash
floods ravaged the village when Typhoon Paeng hit the area in October 2006 and mudslides buried
about 70 houses in the village center. The governor was compelled by the incidents and the
manifesto opposing mining signed by the more than 1,000 people from Runruno, to express
vigorous opposition to the conduct of any mining activity in Quezon town;

WHEREAS, government agencies such as the DENR and its line agencies have openly sided with
mining companies like Metals Exploration Plc;

WHEREAS, besides the Runruno project, Metals Exploration Plc was recently granted two more
exploration permits by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau covering 14,000 hectares in the Nueva
Vizcaya towns of Solano, Villaverde, Bagabag and Dupax del Norte;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Committee on National Cultural

Communities immediately conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the alleged environmental
destruction and human rights violations committed by Metals Exploration Plc, a British mining firm,
against tribal residents of Barangay Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya who oppose the said
company’s mining exploration activities.
Adopted,

REP. TEODORO A. CASIÑO REP. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

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