Vizcaya attack leaves miner dead

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A miner was killed while six others survived when unidentified assailants waylaid them in Quezon town Thursday.  

Jericho Pastor, who was shot in the face, was declared dead on arrival at the MMG Hospital in Solano town.

Provincial police director Senior Superintendent John Luglug said Pastor, along with six others, were in a Starex van on their way to a mining site in Barangay Runruno, when the attack occurred in Barangay Calaocan at around 4:30 p.m. 

Reports said Pastor was in the front seat of the van driven by former police officer Noel Valdez, said to be the group’s leader.

The group was part of a team reportedly hired by British mining company FCF Minerals (FCF) to demolish structures and shanties owned by illegal miners inside the firm’s mining area in Barangay Runruno.

FCF, contracted by the government to handle the Runruno project, is expected to resume operation next year following nearly a decade of exploration and construction activities.

Reports said illegal miners affected by the demolition were behind the attack.

Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation demolished 200 bunkhouses and ball mills in areas covered by the mining firm.