Romblon councilor shot dead during anti-mining rally
A Romblon town councilor, who formerly worked for an international environmental group, was shot dead yesterday morning during an anti-mining protest in
Reports reaching the colleagues of victim Armin Marin in
Other reports initially claimed that Marin was shot by a man riding on a yellow jeep allegedly owned by the mining firm, in Sitio Olango. The incident reportedly occurred at around
Rodne Galicha, of the Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM), an affiliate of the Alyansa Tigil Mina, claimed that miners arrived yesterday morning purportedly to check on the rallyists.
However, when the miners’ vehicle turned away from the protesters Marin reportedly saw one of them carrying a gun.
Marin reportedly ran after the miners and eventually managed to get the firearm. A scuffle ensued, resulting in the shooting, Galicha said.
“The island is split down the middle. The situation (there) is explosive,” said Lory Tan, president of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature-Philippines, for which Marin worked before he joined politics.
Marin was also a member of SAM, an environmental advocacy group which has been fighting for a mining moratorium on Sibuyan Island – touted as the place where the “world’s densest flourishes, the Philippine’s cleanest river flows and the majestic Mount Guiting-Guiting dwells.”
The government has permitted several mining ventures on the island.
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