Summary
Highlights
Tension rises in Barangay Bitnong, Dupax del Norte, as residents barricade to block a foreign mining exploration project, leading to confrontations with police tasked to enforce a court-ordered injunction.
Nueva Vizcaya, known as an agricultural hub, faces threats from exploration activities. Farmers report damaged crops and loss of water supply even before mining, raising concerns about the potential for future environmental disasters.
Activists and women protesters speak out about being physically mistreated and detained during the enforcement of the court order, calling the police presence 'overkill' against peaceful residents.
Residents recall past landslides in nearby Runruno associated with mining tenements, fearing that similar projects in their town will lead to loss of life, contaminated water, and total destruction of the landscape.
Government authorities respond to claims of a lack of genuine public consultation, stating that processes followed legal requirements while emphasizing that mineral rights belong to the state.
Residents pledge to continue their fight against mining, arguing that the economic promises made by corporations do not outweigh the long-term damage to the environment and the heritage they wish to pass on to their children.