Sea mishap off Northern Cagayan: 22 North Korean

survivors are legal aliens

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Authorities yesterday declared the 22 North Koreans
who have survived from a sea accident off northern Cagayan the other day as legal aliens.

Cagayan Valley police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian said the foreigners were
rescued ashore after their cargo ship carrying tons of magnetite ran aground off Cagayan along the
South China Sea coast.

“The Korean nationals have the proper documents and they are staying in the country legally,” said
Damian, amid speculations that the said foreigners were engaging in the reported illegal mining
activities in the country’s northern coast.

Among the Koreans who survived from the possible tragedy were Chol Hwan Jong, Jong Choe, Kun
Sik Choe, Jong Su Ri, Tong Kim, Chol Kim, Yong Min Ham, Kwang Su Choe, Man Jin Han, Chol Ho
Pak, Chol Jon, Chol Ung Rim, Kwang Chol Jong, Ki Ung Jon, Chol Sun Han, Il Nam Jo, Hak Gwan An,
Tong Il Kim, Chul Il Pak, Hae Yong Ro and Jong Gil Jang.

The Koreans, who were transporting 2,165 metric tons of magnetite ore to China, have managed to
extricate themselves from their troubled ship before dawn of Jan. 1.

Damian said the Koreans managed to abandon their vessel, M/V Nam Yang 8, through a lifeboat
which brought them off Barangay Taggat Norte, Claveria town in the South China Sea coast.

“The vessel leaned on its left side due to its heavy load. The group was equipped with rescue
equipment, including a huge life boat, enabling them to reach the shore,” he said.

Heavy load

The vessel, which took off at Aparri port Thursday, began to tilt to its left side while sailing towards
the South China Sea, about six nautical miles away from Taggat Norte.

They reached Claveria shore around 7 a.m. or some three hours after their
vessel started to give in due to heavy load.

“One of the vessel’s passengers was injured by the propeller of the ship while the 21 others are now
in the custody of Barangay Taggat chairman Arsenio dela Peña,” Damian said.

It was learned that the North Korean vessel was washed ashore off Barangay Pasaleng in Pagudpud,
Ilocos Norte.

The magnetite ore, or the so-called black, which the Koreans have reportedly tried to ship out, has
been the subject of controversy as to the legality of its extraction off the Cagayan northern coast.

No magnetite mining
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recently assured that no magnetite mining activities were
being conducted along the province’s northern shore as claimed by anti-mining activists.

The MGB’s assurance came as environmentalists called on the government to probe the alleged
illegal mining of magnetite along Cagayan’s coastline despite an order of then Environment
Secretary Lito Atienza for the suspension of the said mining activity in the area.

The mining or dredging activities in the area, the Church-supported anti-mining advocates claimed,
further exposed the residents to flashfloods and other forms of environmental degradation.

A rich resource in northern Cagayan, magnetite or black sand, which command a high price in
foreign markets, is used as additive for high strength concrete and steel, such as for building
foundations and for making magnets, paint, ink, paper, jewelry and cosmetics. – With Artemio
Dumlao

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Philippines Magnetite mining blamed for floods.
Posted on Oct 28th, 2009 with tags .

TUGUEGARAO CITY—Environment advocates on Thursday expressed alarm

over reports that huge waves from the Babuyan Channel in northern Cagayan
province have begun to crash into residential areas in coastal towns, as Typhoon
“Ramil” made its slow approach to northern Luzon Friday.

This as officers of the Alliance of Buguey Committed for Development Association

(Albucoda), a people’s organization based in Buguey town, called on the government to
immediately stop the reported extraction of magnetite sand from the beaches of Aparri,
Buguey and Gonzaga towns.

“The reports that houses have now been washed away by raging waves bares truth to the
fears that we have raised earlier that if these mining operations are not stopped, the sea
will come to shore and drown the people,” said Gensun Agustin, Albucoda information
officer.

Magnetite is a black iron oxide mineral that is often mined as an ore of iron, and
commonly used as an additive for high-strength concrete, such as for building
foundations.

Offshore

Agustin lamented that mining operations continued offshore in Barangay Minanga Este
in Buguey town just days after floods caused by Typhoon “Pepeng” hit the province early
this month.
The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Laureano Lingan Jr., regional director of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), for comment as he was
reportedly on an official trip abroad.

But Mario Ancheta, regional director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB),
downplayed the group’s charges.

“That claim (that mining has contributed to the flooding) needs to be presented with
proof and supported by a study,” he said.

Ancheta also dismissed reports that extraction had been ongoing in recent days.

In a separate interview, lawyer Gil Aromin, DENR legal officer, also urged the group to
show evidence that magnetite sand mining was actually happening on the northern
shorelines of the province so the DENR can investigate.

Sought for comment, Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio expressed disgust over reports that
mining operations for magnetite have been ongoing along the northern coasts of the
province.

Permit

“That is a lie. There are no mining or dredging operations in our coastal areas. If indeed
there are, and these are being done legally, it is not the provincial government that issued
their permit,” Antonio said.

But he said he has ordered Senior Supt. Moro Lazo, Cagayan police director, to
investigate the reports.

MGB records showed that the agency has issued a permit for Colossal Mining Corp. to
conduct exploration activities for magnetite sand in offshore areas of Sanchez Mira,
Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Buguey and Gonzaga towns, with a total area of
13,483.8 hectares.

Arturo Alariao, council member of Minanga Este village in Buguey, said barges that
were extracting sand about 100 meters offshore were seen by residents last week, just
days after Pepeng struck.

“The barges were operating with a suction machine that extracts magnetite sand from the
bed of the sea, and sifts the ore from the sand,” he said showing a video clip of the
activity taken by one of the residents there.

Albucoda officials cited the recent flooding in at least three coastal villages in Pamplona
town, the supposed sites of magnetite sand extractions earlier this year.

Aromin, however, said no large-scale mining permit has been issued to Colossal.
“If ever it is true that there are actual mining operations, what I know is that the permits
that these companies are using were small-scale mining permits issued by the provincial
government,” he said.

Source: Philippines Daily Inquirer, octboer 26, 2009; Picture: Flickr,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

6 Chinese seafarers face charges of magnetite mineral

ore theft in Cagayan province
Submitted by Guest on Sat, 07/24/2010 - 22:26.

6 Chinese face charges of mineral theft

By Villamor Visaya Jr.
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 20:50:00 07/24/2010
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100724-282935/6...

CAMP TIRSO GADOR, Tuguegarao City, Philippines—Six Chinese were charged with theft of minerals
at the provincial prosecutor’s office here on Friday, a day after they were arrested for illegal black sand
mining along a riverbank in Lallo, Cagayan.

The Chinese, identified as Lin Zhen Bing, 41; Lin Zheng No, 45; Lin De Nong, 36; Lin Wen De, 50; Lin
Qyng Ma, 26; and Lin Jian Xin, 38, have been detained at the Lallo police station.

Senior Superintendent Mao Aplasca, Cagayan police director, said the Chinese were on board a cargo
vessel, marked HAY-LON 69, and were caught while drawing black sand (mineral sand or iron sand) along
a river in Barangay Jurisdiction.

The vessel, which has equipment to separate magnetite ore, which is used for steel, magnet and paint
production, and black sand, has been impounded by the Lallo police.

Personnel of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau inspected the vessel and found that it was carrying 100
cubic meters of magnetite ore and an undetermined volume of black sand.

Reports said the vessel is owned by a mining company whose provincial government-issued permit to
quarry sand and gravel had expired.

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio earlier ordered the arrest of illegal black sand miners and seizure of their
equipment because the provincial government has yet to issue or renew permits of operators.

Leaders of the Catholic Church and non-government organizations in northern Cagayan have opposed the
massive black sand mining in several coastal towns, saying these activities were destroying the province’s
environment.
They said the extraction of black sand from the riverbed of the Cagayan River in Camalaniugan and Lallo
towns and the province’s northern coastline could eat up coastal areas and lead to flooding.

Group: Black sand mine endangers Cagayan coast

October 13, 2010

TUGUEGARAO CITY – The reportedly rampant mining of magnetite or black

sand in Cagayan poses grave threat to the environment as well as to country’s longest
river system, which stretch also lies in the province’s northern coast.

This is the finding so far of a group of university professors, scientists and other experts
now in Cagayan to validate the environmental impact of said mining activities on
communities along the northern coast and the mouth of the Cagayan River .

“The black sand mining will definitely bring havoc to the unique marine and river
ecosystems, (and) the livelihood and safety of communities particularly in the coastal
areas,” said Clemente Bautista, Kalikasan PNE national coordinator and group convenor.

“Numerous studies have already revealed that black sand mining in coastal areas have
resulted to coastal erosion, inundation of communities, and degradation of marine
ecosystem,” he added.

According to the group which was sent by the environmentalist organization Kalikasan
PNE, their investigation disclosed that some 13,843 hectares of land along Cagayan’s
northern coast had already been covered by magnetite mining permits.

This was aside from the river dredging along a 16-km area of the Cagayan River being
undertaken by local and foreign firms reportedly to desilt the said river basin, but which
residents here suspect is just a guise or cover for magnetite mining.

Residents along the northern coast and the Cagayan River , the group said, have already
reported reduced fish catch, decreased productivity and receding coastlines causing
community displacement since magnetite mining operations started in 2006.

Bautista added the group would also look into how the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) and the provincial government are “conniving” with foreign
companies “to rob the people of (their) resources and cause ecological destruction.”

These allegations were belied by the DENR’s regional Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB).

MGB Cagayan Valley director Mario Ancheta said there was no more magnetite mining
in Cagayan. “In fact I have already issued an order for the cancellation and stoppage of
said mining in Cagayan.”
Likewise, the Cagayan government said that it has issued a cease-and-desist order for the
extraction of black sand throughout the province.

Before the PNE-Kalikasan-led probe, Cagayan’s mining was already the subject of
opposition from the Church-led anti-mining advocates.

A rich resource in northern Cagayan, magnetite, which commands a high price,

reportedly among Taiwanese, Chinese and Korean buyers, is used as additive for high
strength concrete and steel, such as for building foundations and for processing magnets,
paint, ink, paper, jewelry and cosmetics. CCL

One Response to Group: Black sand mine endangers Cagayan coast

1.

Esperlita Garcia on February 8, 2011 at 12:48 am

Black Sand Mining in Gonzaga, Cagayan in Full Swing Very Reverend Fathers,
please rescue us here. We are afraid to speak in the open but we are more afraid
knowing that thousands of tons of black sand is extracted in our town without
replacing it and no protection wall whatsoever has been done to atleast help
protect us from being victims of mass destruction. Our God given environment is
continuosly robbed from us by those who never care our security and safety. Sea
water has reached our infra projects, our homes and we fear our lands be under
water if this destructive bsm activity continues. All the shoreline barangays are in
their busy task of extraction with a huge amount of money being promised to
them. Magnetic gadgets i bulk quantity have been distributed particularly in Brgy
Sta Cruz and to other barangays. Due to poverty, our people are forced to accept
this kind just to survive. Kakapit sa patalim mga taong nangangailangan. Good
and blessing for the people and barangays for aside from the benefits of having
family income from bs extraction, barangays shall soon walk on cemented
barangay roads with bright street lights all over the barangays plus more or less
P200,000.00 every shipment to be given as aid to barangays. These are the
promises according to some officials who do not want to be identified for they
fear they might also perish just like our fellow citizens against bsmining. Thank
you so much Fathers for your immediate help.

Mining company issued permit without public hearing

BY ALYANSA TIGIL MINA

LOCAL residents staged a rally against an alleged illegal black sand mining operation in
the town of Gonzaga, Cagayan province on March 19.
About 2,000 people from the barangays (villages) of Batangan, Calayan, and Minanga in
Gonzaga town here, staged a rally on Saturday in front of the mining construction in
Batangan, Gonzaga. They expressed shock upon the entry of Huaxia in their area.
Beijing-based Huaxia was issued two 20-hectare mining permits for magnetite sand
covering residential areas and coastal areas, within the 200-meter shoreline.

Gonzaga is a first class municipality located 125 kilometers from Tuguegarao City. It has
a population of approximately 35,400 people.

“Construction work of Huaxia is already starting and the people fear its impacts to the
communities, primarily because the permit covers their homes—and permits were given
without public consultation,” a source from the community said, declining to be named
for fear of harassments by proponents of the mining project.

Green groups in Manila led by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) supported the call of the locals
in Gonzaga town to cancel the black sand mining permit issued to a certain Huaxia Black
Sang Mining Co. this February.

“Clearly, the leadership of Cagayan Valley province does not listen to the peoples’ call—
the people do not want any kind of mining there. Especially now that impacts of climate
change are increasing, the government should be more careful about the projects that they
are pursuing,” said Alyansa Tigil Mina National Coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

Initial research shows that magnetite mining causes agricultural and environmental
problems. The report also cites that black sand mining in coastal areas resulted in coastal
erosion, inundation of communities and degradation of marine ecosystem. In 2009, ATM
sent a team to look into the reported beach erosion in Cagayan province, reportedly
because of the illegal black sand mining operations in the area.

Cagayan communities have been opposing these mining operations particularly magnetite
sand mining, which causes great risks for them, especially those living in coastal areas.

“The permit should definitely be canceled, first because there was no public consultation
conducted and second but not of less importance, is that this activity will put the
communities and even the whole island at great environmental risk”, concluded
Garganera.

ATM is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of

nongovernment organizations/private organizations and other civil society organizations
who are opposing the aggressive promotion of large-scale mining in the Philippines.
Anti-mining activist shot dead in Cagayan
Posted March 17th, 2010 by Kailash

in

• Mines and Quarries

• Region 10

Source:

Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon -

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100302-256222/Anti-mining-activist-

shot-dead-in-Cagayan

Date of publication:

2 March, 2010

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines—-A leader of an anti-mining group in Cagayan was shot

dead in Buguey town on Monday afternoon, police said on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Moro Virgilio Lazo, Cagayan police director, said Gensun Agustin, 30, was on

his way home aboard his motorcycle when two men on another motorcycle shot and killed him in

Barangay (village) Calamegatan at 4:15 p.m.

Agustin, an aide of Buguey Mayor Ignacio Taruc, was one of the leaders of the Alliance for Buguey

Community Advocates (Albucoda) and a member of the Federation of Anti-Mining Advocates in

Cagayan (Famac). These groups are opposing illegal mining in the province and have been

conducting information dissemination campaigns and community forums on the impact of illegal

mining on the province’s environment.

Agustin died from bullet wounds in the head and body. Investigators found two shells from a 9-mm

pistol at the crime scene.

Chief Inspector Edward Guzman, Buguey police chief, said Agustin, on February 22, reported to the

police that two men, whom he identified in the police blotter as Junel Singson and Florante Aytona,

chased him. Agustin said one of them was carrying a handgun.

Guzman said police have been looking into Agustin’s involvement in local politics and his anti-mining

advocacy as possible motives in the attack.

Taruc, who is running for representative in Cagayan’s first district, said Agustin’s involvement in the

campaign against the impact of illegal magnetite mining in Buguey might have irked some local

leaders.

“This is the biggest factor [behind the killing], I believe. Gensun had denounced some provincial

officials for pushing magnetite mining, which is destructive to the environment,” Taruc said.

The magnetite is taken from the black sands of Cagayan’s beaches. Environmentalists fear that the

extraction of magnetite, which keeps the sand together, would lead to floods in the province.

Environmental officials, however, have denied the existence of magnetite mining on a wide scale

feared by environmentalists.