TVIRD regrets incident. Condemns pull out of AFP troops to secure minesite despite signed agreement.
TVI Resource Development (Phils.) Inc. (TVIRD) condoles with the family of Mr. Wilfred Catampungan who figured in an unfortunate incident in the company’s mining operations in Balabag Zamboaga del Sur. The company is extending all necessary financial and other assistance to the family of Mr. Catampungan.
TVIRD never condones any form of violence. The matter is now in the hands of the police, local government, and other authorities as we await their final reports.
Initial incident reports from the police say that the incident occurred in Sitio Balabag, Depore, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur Wednesday afternoon. It also said that a group of illegal miners attacked Tvird security personnel, resulting in the incident.
Police further reported that Godofredo Jungoy, Jr., a town resident, immediately surrendered to the police after the incident. The local police identified the victim as Catampungan, of Barangay Kahayagan, also of Bayog who was brought to the Municipal Health Center where he was declared dead on arrival.
In his statement to the police, Jungoy said that he and his team encountered around 20 illegal mining laborers while he was with a team on routine inspection of the company’s property. The 20 laborers engaged in illegal and environmentally-destructive mining practices carried cyanide, activated carbon, and diesel fuel to use in their outlawed gold processing plants.
Jungoy related to the police that he was attacked and mauled when he tried to stop the group. He fired a warning shot but the group ignored it and continued their attack. Sensing serious danger to his life, Jungoy fired another shot that unfortunately hit one of his attackers.
TVIRD, together with local government and police authorities have found it necessary to set up security checkpoints and patrols due to the dangerous operations perpetrated by illegal miners in the area. The site is within the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) area of TVIRD.
Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Cerilles has ordered a stop to all hazardous and illegal mining operations through a Cease and Desist Order, especially that of the group called Monte de Oro Small Scale Miners Association (MOSSMA). The same province’s Provincial Mineral Regulatory Board (PMRB) recently issued a resolution denying MOSSMA’s application to have the area where they operate declared as a Minahang Bayan because it does not comply with the requirements set forth by law to conduct mining activities.
