Groups denounce killings of environmental activists in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – The Alyansa Tigil Mina, an advocacy group on environmental and human rights issues and people’s movement in the Philippines denounced the killings of environmental activists Gensun Agustin in Buguey town in Cagayan province and Ricardo Ganad in Victoria town in Oriental Mindoro province.

It said Agustin was killed on March 1 and Ganad was slain on February 10 this year.

“ATM denounces the brutal killings of environmental activists Gensun Agustin in Buguey, Cagayan and Ricardo Ganad in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro. The death of the two staunch anti-mining leaders happened in less than a month apart and both murders cannot discount their strong opposition to mining and political affiliations to anti-mining local officials as the possible angles of motives to their gruesome deaths during this election period,” said ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

“It is alarming that despite the supposedly implementation of a ‘stricter measure’ on the nationwide gun ban by Government, the shooting of Agustin and Ganad, which caused the death of two environmental activists, happened in broad daylight.”

“We ask the government law enforcement agencies, specially the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel to fast track the investigations in these incidents to help the victims of the brutal killings achieve justice the soonest and diligently take extra precautions in keeping the peace and order in areas with mining controversies,” Garganera said.

He said the presence of big mining companies in different areas across the nation created social divides among the pros and anti-mining groups.

The election period highlights mining as a hot political issue in different localities because of the believed big money involved that creates bigger social tension among groups, he said.

"Mining companies are inclined to support candidates that will most likely grant them with the ‘social license’ they need to smoothly operate in this country.”

“We, in ATM, would like send our deepest condolences to the families, loved ones and friends survived by the passing of the anti-mining heroes Gensun Agustin and Ricardo Ganad. We would also like to commend the unwavering efforts and bravery of other environmental activists whose strong opposition to mining have prevailed over the years, which money cannot buy,” Garganera said.

ATM is convened by HARIBON, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center – Friends of the Earth Philippines and Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas. It is composed of more than 80 organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide.

Filipino Lawmaker Wants Security Cameras On All ATM Machines

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 28 Jul) - Catanduanes Representative Joseph Santiago has urged the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to compel the country's three major automated teller machine service providers to install surveillance cameras around their ATMs as part of a security measure.

"If users cannot get any reprieve from excessive ATM charges, then regulators might as well rigorously require security cameras in every ATM location. This way, users will at least get enhanced security protection, and more value for the money they are being forced to pay for ATM services," Santiago said in a statement sent Saturday to the Mindanao Examiner.

Over 18 million Filipinos are ATM cardholders. They are serviced mainly by the three major ATM network operators - Megalink Inc., Bancnet Inc. and ExpressNet Inc. - that group 58 universal, commercial and thrift banks. The three networks combined now have more than 6,000 ATMs nationwide.

"To begin with, banks are duty-bound to protect ATM users. In fact, we are surprised the BSP and local government units are not forcefully requiring banks to install surveillance equipment around their premises. This is supposed to be a basic and readily available security feature," Santiago pointed out.

"This is not just about the increasing number of crimes around banks and ATMs. This is also about the community fighting crime. Every community member - whether an individual or a business entity - is supposed to help prevent crime," Santiago said.

"Banks form part of the community. They should do their share and invest in deterring crime," he added.

Police previously reported a rising incidence not only of bank robberies, but also of crimes victimizing ATM and credit cardholders.

The most widespread of these crimes involve robbers who entrap cab passengers, mostly women, who are then forced either to withdraw money (using their ATM or credit cards) from the nearest ATM location, or to surrender their cards and give their personal identification numbers.

For instance, Metro Manila's Eastern Police District earlier reported that of the 168 bank offices in Pasig City alone, at least 18 were found to have no security cameras at all in their premises.

"We assumed from the start, when the BSP issued branch licenses to these banks, that they were required to install security cameras. So we find it puzzling that the police are now claiming that many branches still do not have the surveillance equipment," Santiago said.