Environment groups decry police ‘harassment’ over Nueva Vizcaya mining

MANILA, Philippines — Environmental groups on Thursday condemned the Philippine National Police (PNP) for allegedly harassing organizers barricading in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya to stave off a mining venture there. The groups, spearheaded by the Kasibu Intertribal Response for Ecological Development (Kired), took their grievances to a protest staged outside the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. The environmental advocates claimed that the PNP has been exerting undue pressure on residents and organizers who have set up barricades in the area to block the mining operations. The protest outside the PNP headquarters aimed to bring their concerns to the attention of the national police leadership. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between environmental protection advocates and proponents of development projects in the Philippines, particularly concerning the rights of local communities and the role of law enforcement in such disputes.