Anti-Mining Leader Killed in New Bataan, ComVal

An activist protesting large-scale mining in Mindanao was killed by unidentified men on 23 December 2008, at New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province, environmental activist group Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao Region (SMR) reported.

At around 7:00 in the evening, unidentified men killed 39-year old environmental activist leader Fernando "Dodong" Sarmiento, Secretary General of Panalipdan-New Bataan, at Purok 1, Barangay Cabinuangan, New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province, said Panalipdan-SMR spokesperson Francis Morales, citing reports from the field.

"Dodong Sarmiento sustained 5 gun-shot wounds that resulted to his death", Morales said.

"We condemn in the strongest term the brutal killing of Dodong Sarmiento, who is known for leading the rural folks of New Bataan in calling for the stoppage of the operations of PhilCo Mining Corporation, the planned exploration of other mining corporations and mining-instigated militarization under the command of the (Philippine Army) 10th Infantry Division, citing as reasons for their resistance the destruction that large-scale mining operations brought on people's livelihoods and local ecosystems", Morales stressed.

"The environmental group believes that Sarmiento was killed by military elements due to his advocacies. On 16 July 2008, Sarmiento was interrogated by elements of the 28th Infantry Batallion, Philippine Army (IBPA) under Lt. Wendel Ariola for his active involvement in environmental campaigns and was accused of being a rebel supporter. Then on 22 July 2008, the military posted on its website a falsely claim that Sarmiento was a rebel surrenderee", Morales divulged.

"This is a typical mode of operation of the military in implementing the Oplan Bantay Laya 2 in the rural areas of Compostela Valley wherein activist leaders were maligned and demonized first before being killed", Morales furthered.

The Panalipdan-SMR leader said that Sarmiento is the first environmental activist in Southern Mindanao killed after the Arroyo administration formed the Investment Defense Force (IDF) and when the 10th ID chief Major General Leo Jogy Fojas declared that New Bataan is the rebels' center of operations, which is actually meant to wipe out all types of opposition against mining aggression.

Under the Arroyo regime, 24 environmental activists have been killed which indicate the rise of human rights violations in relation to opposition to mining projects, based on the documentation of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment.

"The Arroyo administration and the 10th ID should be held accountable for the killing of Sarmiento. This is an administration which aggressively promotes plunder of mineral resources and sell-out of our national patrimony to foreign firms at the expense of people's welfare and fragile ecosystems", Morales said.