Progressive groups in the United Kingdom (UK) led by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines – Britian (ICHRP – Britain) and London-Philippine Solidarity (LPS) staged a sit-in today, January 26, at the London office of Metals Exploration PLC to expose the human rights violation and environmental destruction linked to its subsidiary, Woggle Corporation.

According to a press release from ICHRP Britain, Woggle Corporation was granted an exploration permit by the Philippine government, covering 3,100 hectares, an equivalent to approximately 4,000 football fields.

In September, residents of Dupax del Norte barricaded entry points to their community to prevent the entry of mining equipment of British company Woggle Corporation. The residents put up scraps of wood, bamboo, and tarpaulin, while guarding the barricade to show resistance to the mining exploration. However, they were met with repression and violent arrests.

Earlier this week, representatives from Woggle Corporation, along with 300 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), including the SWAT team, violently dispersed and arrested protesters, forcibly demolishing the barricade to allow the entry of mining equipment

“The situation in Dupax del Norte is emblematic of the Filipino people’s long history of resisting foreign mining giants in the country. ICHRP Britain condemns these vicious attacks and stands in solidarity with the Filipino people’s rightful defence of land, livelihood and community,” said Helen Brewer of ICHRP Britain.

Sam Martin of LPS also underscored the struggle of the people of Dupax del Norte. According to Martin who met with and visited the community in September, one thing was clear, “the people of Dupax Del Norte – indigenous people, land defenders, farmers, women and young people alike – are steadfast in opposing mining on their lands.”

ICHRP Britain, LPS, and other progressive groups launched the British Mining Out of the Philippines (BMOP) campaign calling for an end to British mining operations that continue to destroy the Philippines’ rich resources and violate human rights.

The groups emphasized that mining largely impacts communities, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and Indigenous peoples, as well as homes, agricultural land, forest ecosystems, and a critical watershed that supports one of the Philippines’ key food-producing regions. (RTS)

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