8 hurt in anti-mining dispersal in Agusan

TUBAY, Agusan del Norte — Eight people were hurt in the dispersal of an anti-mining protest rally held yesterday in Barangay La Fraternidad here.

Armed with water cannons owned by the firetruck of the municipality of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Norte police provincial director Celso Pagaragan and Tubay town acting police chief Benny Esparagoza headed the dispersal team.

The order to disperse nearly 200 anti-mining protesters allegedly came from Agusan del Norte Gov. Erlpe John Amante and Tubay Mayor Fidel Garcia Jr.

Amante and Garcia defended the order, saying the protesters led by the parish priest, a lawyer and a town councilor had no permit.

Caraga police regional director Chief Superintendent Antonio Dator Nanas told The STAR he was informed by Paragaran that the rally was dispersed because the protesters were obstructing a public road leading to the mining area.

Fr. Genor Luis, parish priest of the St. Anne Parish here, however, said they have been holding a peaceful protest rally since Saturday morning at a private property located at the foot of the mountain in Barangay La Fraternidad when the team dispersed them using a water cannon.

As a result, eight persons were hurt including lawyer Rolando Fortun Carlota, his wife Alicia, their son Ian, 17, Tubay Councilor Alejor Page, Fr. Luis, parishioners Nelia Orgil, 62, Estanislao Delima, 52, and Jessilyn Reyda, 26.

Orgil is in serious condition and is now confined at a hospital while Delima and Reyda suffered cuts and bruises.

Carlota, who is a cousin of the Fortun brothers, deposed President Joseph Estrada’s legal counsels, told The STAR they will file criminal and administrative charges against Pagaragan, Esparagoza, and the policemen and firemen who participated in the dispersal.

"The dispersal is illegal because we are doing a peaceful assembly at a private property in airing our opposition to the destructive nickel, gold and copper mining operations in our watershed, fish and bird sanctuaries," Carlota, Fr. Luis and Page said.

"It was an overreaction on the part of policemen and firemen to disperse us with the use of high-pressured water cannon because we are only holding a peaceful protest rally," Fr. Luis explained.