Katribu stands in solidarity with the people of Sitio Dalicno, Brgy. Ampucao, Itogon in their struggle against the mining expansion of Apex Mining’s Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc. (ISRI).
We join their condemnation of Apex Mining-ISRI and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for manipulating the community’s Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
This is not the first time that Apex Mining violated the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and this is not the first time that NCIP colluded in these rights violations.
Apex Mining is infamous for land destruction. Just this February 6, their continuous operations in Maco, Davao de Oro resulted in massive landslides, killing 96 lives as of February 16, according to the local government. This serves to show what will happen to Itogon should they refuse to claim accountability to past crimes and continue its large-scale mining in the Sitio Dalicno.
Katribu calls on Apex-ISRI to respect the Dalicno people’s will and halt their expanded plans of destruction. We also challenge the Marcos administration to uphold the people’s will and suspend the operations of Apex in Itogon and Davao, and conduct an immediate investigation into the Maco landslides and hold Apex Mining and the NCIP accountable for all accumulated crimes. Dalicno succeeded against mining development firms in the past, and the people of the community continue to uphold the same principles of justice and self-determination in the current struggle they face now. Let us join the Dalicno in their defense of their land and resources!
