Inquirer·Philippines·

Pangilinan to gov’t: Stand with Kasibu farmers, not mining interests

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Isabelle Pechay

DEFENDING THEIR LAND Residents of Kasibu and Dupax del Norte towns in Nueva Vizcaya hold a protest outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Quezon City to demand the revocation of a mining permit covering 4,456 hectares in Kasibu. They say the permit was given without their consent. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE — DEFENDING THEIR LAND. Residents of Kasibu and Dupax del Norte towns in Nueva Vizcaya staged a protest outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Quezon City on July 14, 2026, demanding the revocation of a mining permit covering 4,456 hectares in Kasibu. They claim the permit was issued without their consent. PHOTO BY GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday urged government officials to protect farmers opposing mining exploration activities in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.

According to the senator, government agencies should respect the rights of residents who have maintained barricades for nearly six months to oppose the exploration project of North Luzon Mineral Resources Corp. (NLMRC).

“Why do farmers in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya have to defend themselves, their land, and their livelihoods against the very authorities who are supposed to protect them?” Pangilinan asked.

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“Authorities should stand with them — not subject them to violence, arrests, or intimidation,” he added.

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The senator also reminded the police that their duty was to “protect ordinary citizens, not corporate interests that could harm communities and food production.”

READ: Antimining group in N. Vizcaya hits court extension of ban on barricades

“Our urgent appeal to the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the leadership of the Philippine National Police is to stop using force against the people of Kasibu and respect their rights,” Pangilinan added.

He also urged courts to hear the legitimate grievances of farmers, particularly on land ownership and environmental protection, while calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to safeguard natural resources and the communities that depend on them.

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READ: Environment groups decry police ‘harassment’ over Nueva Vizcaya mining

Antimining protests and community barricades have continued in Barangay Paquet, Kasibu, since May 2026, opposing NLMRC’s gold and copper exploration project.

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The company, which maintains that its operations are legal, holds an exploration permit covering 4,456 hectares in the area, including land that some residents claim forms part of the ancestral domain of Indigenous communities.

Pangilinan questioned whether genuine Free, Prior and Informed Consent had been obtained before the company secured its exploration permit.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, expressed solidarity with the farmers, saying their livelihoods help feed the country.

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He emphasized that protecting farmers’ land and sources of livelihood also meant safeguarding the country’s food security and future. /mcm

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