P-Noy: No investment pullout amid NPA attacks on mining firms

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign mining companies are not pulling out their investments in the country following the recent raid by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Surigao del Norte, President Aquino said yesterday.

“I met with the officers of Sumitomo Group (of Japan) and they assured us that they have no intentions of pulling out,” Aquino told officers and members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines at the Mandarin hotel in Makati City.

“So if that main victim of this whole issue has not indicated a lack of interest or lessening of interest, then perhaps I don’t foresee any other foreign investors undertaking the same,” he added.

The President said the companies requested the government to beef up security in mining sites in Claver town through the deployment of civilian armed forces geographical units (CAFGUs) to prevent a repeat of the bombing incidents that resulted in the loss of billions of pesos in equipment.

“We have already advised them (mining firms) of the corrective actions that are being undertaken,” he said.

Aquino, also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the CAFGUs will be under the supervision of the military and police.

“Cafgus or special Cafgus will be territorial-based, will be subject to all the rules and will be under the watchful gaze of our Commission on Human Rights chair Etta Rosales,” he said, assuring the public that no human rights violations will be committed. 

Several officials of the AFP have been relieved as a result of the daring attacks on three mining firms in Surigao del Norte by the communist rebels.

“I was not happy with their (security forces) performance in this particular incident,” he said.

While he did not mention failure of intelligence on the part of the AFP, the President expressed disgust at how an incident of such magnitude could have happened.

Aquino said he already ordered an augmentation of troops in the area.

When asked if a ceasefire at this point was necessary, Aquino said it was up to the government peace panel to recommend such action.

He added that the real victims of the NPA attacks were the 5,000 employees of the mining firms who lost income of about P12,000 each.

Top rebel leader killed

The AFP vowed yesterday that there would be no more major NPA attacks on civilian targets similar to the raids on three mining firms in Surigao del Norte.

AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said ground troops have already shifted to a pro-active stance and are now actively pursuing the insurgents not only those in Surigao, but also those based in Luzon and Visayas.

He said the pro-active stance gained positive results following the killing of a top NPA leader and seven of his men in an encounter with the military in Abra last Monday and the seizure of an NPA camp in Agusan del Sur.

Burgos identified the NPA leader as Loverito Bernal alias “Ka Oxy,” who was killed by Army troops from the 41st Infantry Battalion after almost six hours of fighting in Barangay Cag-anayan, Tineg town.

The other rebel fatalities were Reynaldo Masadao, alias “Ka Cris”; Junjun Balbin alias Ka Recti; and a certain Ogie, a female rebel medic; a certain Ka Omeng, Ka Bunso, Ka Berlyn and Ka Winnie.

“We would like to assure the public the NPAs won’t be able to launch similar attack they executed in Surigao last week,” Burgos said.– With Jaime Laude