![]() Press Statement | 19 May 2023 (embargoed till 10AM) The Makakalikasan Party condemns the illegal mining activities of Chinese foreigners in Iponan River in Cagayan de Oro City. The mining activities have destroyed 10 hectares of the river delta, which is a critical area for biodiversity and water resources. The illegal mining activities have been going on, despite a writ of kalikasan and a writ of continuing mandamus issued by the Court of Appeals in 2013. These writs are powerful legal tools that can be used to protect the environment. It orders government agencies to take action to stop environmental damage. The Makakalikasan Party is calling on the government to take immediate action to ensure that all illegal mining activities in Iponan River are permanently stopped. The government must also investigate and prosecute the individuals and groups responsible for the destruction of the river delta. The Makakalikasan Party also reiterates its position on its Reclaiming Natural Patrimony Agenda, which calls for a moratorium on all mining operations in the country for 1-2 decades. This extreme position reflects the extent of the destruction of our critical ecosystems due to even legal mining operations. If legal mining operations are already seen as critically problematic, much more on illegal mining operations in an area already covered by judicial remedy, says Party President Roy Cabonegro.
The Makakalikasan Party Chairperson Orlanda Ravanera said, "The writ of kalikasan in Iponan river must be upheld at all cost. And heads must roll for violators; including conniving government enforcers who allow illegal mining to happen." Chairperson Ravanera hails from Cagayan de Oro and heads the Party's long term peoples movement in the region - the Task Force Macalajar (TFM) has been instrumental from the beginning in the fight against illegal logging and mining in the region; including pushing for the current writ of Kalikasan. As part of SULOG, an environmental coalition, they pushed for the writs and was made part of the Task Force Kinaiyahan composed of the 10 government agencies and CSOs tasked to implement the writs since 2013. Chairman Ravanera informs us that recently Mayor Mayor Klarex Uy of CDO and Mayor Jay Bago of Opol have requested him to re-activate the Task Force in light of all of these developments. For more information: Rommel Ortega -National Spokesperson Mobile: 09951768926 | Email: [email protected] | FB: /makakalikasan.party
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