POLITICAL ASPECT

A. Human Rights

The mining industry worldwide has been described as having an enormous and
intrusive social, economic, political and environmental footprint. As a result of militarization
and corruption in the mining industry, a broad array of abuses and complicity in crimes against
humanity had been committed. This trend is evident in the Philippines with abuses affecting
local communities, especially indigenous people who owned ancestral lands where most
mining sites are located. The use of intimidation and force by mining security forces, military
and police against indigenous peoples and small-scale miners at mining sites is widespread.
For example, on KingKing Mine Inc located in Southern Mindanao and controlled by Echo
Bay Mines, the practice for the mine to make illegal payments of protection money to a range
of terrorist and military groups and by the time the project was completed, approximately $2
million was provided to terrorists/insurgent groups, as revealed by the former project manager
of Echo Bay Mines.1 Militarisation in mining areas has intensified in the year 2008 with the
introduction of the Investment Defence Force, composed of members of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, tasked to protect extraction projects from those who stand in the way of
development. The reconnaissance and companies of paramilitary forces representing the
Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit have also been deployed, further aggravating
conflicts with local communities which resulted to numerous human rights violations. 2

According to Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights, since 2001 more than
700 citizens of the Philippines, many of them associated with legal political opposition groups
and protest causes have been killed. It is claimed that at least 11 of these extrajudicial killings
were related to protests against mining. A climate of fear developed among legitimate
protesters against government policies and commercial projects on mining and the apparent
lack of effective protection of the right to peaceful protest and opposition led to array of human
rights violations in relation to mining industries.
Mining operations have negative consequences and disproportionate impact on
indigenous people which make them more vulnerable to many types of human rights violations,
including: appropriation of land resulting in massive displacement; large-scale destruction of
forests and agricultural land; pollution of soil and rivers with toxic chemicals; frequent mining
accidents and health problems for mineworkers; disintegration of indigenous society and
culture; and the marginalisation of women as food producers in the subsistence economy.

See: Tampakan Project controversy involving Lumads

Build-up of military activity in the Caraga mining region
Mankayan, where an army officer has been accused of the rape and sexual abuse
of two minors-- expansion of Lepanto's and Goldfield's Far South East Project
human rights issues of the indigenous Aeta of Zambales

1
Doyle, C., Wicks , C., & Nally , F. (2007). Mining in the Philippines Concerns and Conflicts. Society of St.
Columban, 8.
2
Ronderos, K. (2013). Defending Ancestral Lands: Indigenous Women Human Rights Defenders in the
Philippines. Manila: Philippine Daily Inquirer.
B. Corruption

Government agencies wield a great deal of power over mining companies and their
ability to effectively explore and operate in the Philippines. Large-scale corruption is one of
the abuses typically associated with the extractive industry. Corruption linked with mining at
local government level.3 On the Philippines, some politicians are funded by large-scale mining
companies, thus, obligated to allow mining industry to flourish. As a challenge on the issuance
of licenses and permits, the government licensing and tendering business has been traditionally
conducted by involving agents, third parties or middle men. There is abuse of position and
power for personal gain in the government, such as seeking and obtaining bribes or other gifts
in exchange for favorable treatment and approval of license applications. 4

There is weaker political will by the national government over the involvement of
LGUs in large-scale mining projects. While local governments have the authority to issue
small-scale mining permits, they can approved and allow large-scale mining projects by
enacting their own conflicting legislations. The power of the local government appears to be
stronger than that of the national government in the approval of mining industries. Local
officials, like the city or town mayor can invoke their power under the Department of Internal
and Local Government in giving permits to mining operations. 5 Lastly, corruption on the part
of community leaders and tribal leaders in obtaining free and prior informed consent to operate
mining industries within ancestral domains and lands of the indigenous cultural communities.

C. Monopoly in Philippine Mining Industry

According to IBON, 97% of mineral production in the Philippines goes to foreign

industries, proving the export-oriented nature of Philippine mining. It supports other countries’
industrialization and profit instead of being instrumental in the development of local
industries.6

In fact, the biggest mining companies in the Philippines come from the United States,
Australia, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and China. While mining is unarguably vital to an
economy, its mining activity has unfortunately been vital to other countries’ economy instead
of its own.7
*List of big mining companies in the Philippines:

3
Doyle, C., Wicks , C., & Nally , F. (2007). Mining in the Philippines Concerns and Conflicts. Society of St.
Columban, 10.
4
Gita, R. (2017, February 1). Retrieved from SunStar Philippines: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-
news/2017/02/10/denr-chief-claims-links-between-politicians-and-mining-firms-524867
5
Oxford Business (2015) on http://emilianohudtohan.com/socio-economic-political-impact-of-mining-in-the-
philippines/
6
Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s Mining Facts and Figures
7
Parayno, J. (2015, September). Local Mining Contributes to Foreign Industries. Retrieved from
http://ibon.org/2015/09/local-mining-contributes-to-foreign-industries-but-leaves-ph-with-little-benefit/
1. Apex Mining Co., Inc.
2. Asiaticus Management Corp.
3. Atlas Consolidated Mining & Development Corp.
4. Benguet Corp.
5. Berong Nickel Corp. c/o TMM Management, Inc.
6. Bohol Limestone Corp.
7. C.T.P. Construction and Mining Corp.
8. Eramen Minerals, Inc.
9. Filminera Resources Corp.
10. Greenstone Resources Corp.
11. Hinatuan Mining Corp.
12. Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co.
13. LNL Resources, Inc.
14. Marcventures Mining & Dev't. Corp.
15. Manila Mining Corp.
16. Oceana Gold (Philippines), Inc.
17. Pacific Nickel Phils., Inc.
18. Philex Mining Corp.
19. Philippine Associated Smelting & Refining Corp.
20. Philsaga Mining Corp.
21. Platinum Group Metals Corp.
22. Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc./KMP Resources, Inc.23. Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp.
23. Taganito Mining Corp.
24. Teresa Marble Corp.
25. TVI Resource Development (Phils.), Inc.
*Individual local and foreign mining companies licensed to do business in the Philippines:
1. Affluere Minerals Corp.
2. Alad Minng and Development Corp.
3. Consolidated Mines, Inc.
4. Freeport-McMoran Exploration Corp.
5. Gold Fields Philippines, Corp.
6. Intex Resources Philippines, Inc.
7. Pacific Metals Co., Ltd.
8. Sagittarius Mines, Inc.
9. San Agustin Services, Inc.
10. Ibalong Resources & Development Corp.
11. FCF Minerals Corporation/Metals Exploration Plc.
12. Marcoasia Corp.
13. Philippine Mining Development Corp.
14. Solid Earth Dev't. Corp.8

8
Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s Mining Facts and Figures