Groups denounce death of Cagayan anti-mining activist

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental and human rights group, Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), denounces the death of anti-mining activist Conrado Buenaflor from Buguey, Cagayan on May 13.

ATM recently received a report that an unidentified armed man shot anti-mining activist Conrado Buenaflor in front of his own residence in Barangay Leron on May 9. Buenaflor was rushed to the Lyceum Hope Hospital in Aparri and was later transferred to Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao wherein after days of struggle for his life, Buenaflor was pronounced dead around 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 13.

Buenaflor is a member of the Citizen Action Unit (CAU) and is the head of Task Force Lapu-Lapu, which monitors shoreline mining and illegal fishing activities under the leadership staunch anti-mining Buguey mayor Ignacio Taruc who recently ran against the son of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and another contender for the House Representative seat in Cagayan first district.

Taruc garnered 40.42% of the total votes in the Congressional race, which was by won Juan Ponce C. Enrile Jr. with 56.23% votes according to Comelec results.

“Buenaflor was killed days before the election. He belongs to a very big family in Cagayan. He would have played an active role in supporting Taruc’s campaign,” said one of Buenaflor’s comrades from the anti-mining civil society group, Alliance of Buguey Communities for Development Advocate (Albucoda), who wished to be unnamed in an interview.

“Buenaflor is a known strong supporter of Taruc. His death is the fourth incident in the heat of election season.  ATM denounces his untimely death, which could have been prevented if government law enforcement agencies managed to strictly implement the election gun ban,” said ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

“After the brutal killing of anti-mining leader Gensun Agustin in Buguey, who happened to be one of Taruc’s aide last March, we [ATM] have issued a statement asking government to diligently take extra precautions in keeping the peace and order in areas with mining controversies,” added Garganera.

“The election period is not over. Again, we are calling the attention of the government law enforcement agencies, specially the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP) to fast track the investigations in these incidents to help the victims of the brutal killings achieve justice the soonest and implement stricter measures to keep the peace and order in Buguey, Cagayan,” said Garganera.

Buenaflor was also a close comrade to slain anti-mining activist and Task Force Lapu-lapu member Pedrito Tabaco who was gunned down by unidentified men together with his brother-in-law Alfredo Rabit while riding a motorcycle on their way home in Barangay Leron, Buguey on November 30 last year.

ATM is an advocacy group and people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide convened by HARIBON, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC/FOEI) and Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA). (30)
 

For more information:
Jaybee Garganera, ATM Coordinator, (0915) 315.37.19 /
Roslyn Arayata, ATM Policy Research and Advocacy Officer (0917) 521.79.37