Traitors abetting Chinese poaching of Phl minerals

For China it’s all for resources. It occupied the Mischief Reef and Bajo de Masinloc Shoal for the rich fishing grounds, and is invading the Recto Bank for the offshore oil. It is also into illegal, destructive mining in the Philippine mainland to feed its industries with precious and rare earth metals.

All is not so much for a peaceful economic rise than a militaristic expansion. While sustaining China’s factories, the aquatic, oil, and mineral extractions also equip its armed forces — the easier to subjugate the Philippines. Nickel, cobalt, chromite, and magnetite taken by China from Zambales, Surigao, Cagayan, and elsewhere are used for its steel and hi-tech products. These include military applications: sophisticated weapons, naval, and surveillance systems.

Modern-day Makapilis make possible a creeping Chinese invasion of the Philippine mainland. National and local officials take bribes in issuing bogus permits and clearances. Unscrupulous businessmen, small-scale miners, NGOs, and indigenous people’s organizations too are paid as fronts.

The Constitution forbids foreigners from exploring and extracting minerals, except in financial and technical assistance agreements. Yet none of the two-dozen or so Chinese miners has an FTAA. All have mineral production sharing agreements, reserved only for Filipino citizens or firms with at least 60-percent Filipino equity. Such MPSAs are non-transferable. How they fell into Chinese hands, only the Department of Environment and Natural Resources can explain.

And so in Surigao del Norte are such nickel, chromite, and cobalt operations of Chinese giants: Jinchuan Nonferrous Metals Inc., Macao Quanta Mining Corp., Oriental Synergy Corp, Shanghai Bao Steel Corp., Shenzhou Mining, and Zhongli Mining Corp.

The law also forbids foreigners from small-scale mining. It is in fact reserved for Filipino subsistence miners, using only brawn, picks, and shovels. In Masinloc and Sta. Cruz towns alone in Zambales, however, 94 “small” mines operate with huge excavators, extractors, and thousands of dump trucks. The governor granted their permits all in one day in July 2011. At least five of them are owned by Chinese conglomerates: Jiangxi Rare Earth & Metals Tungsten Group, Wei-Wei Group, and Nihao Mineral Resources Inc.

The Supreme Court last month temporarily stopped the mines that have been poisoning the air and water. Townsfolk cried that the DENR secretary had allowed the governor to grant the permits. The DENR and local police have yet to report their enforcement, if any, of the SC order.

Meanwhile, local quislings also let Chinese steal magnetite from their black-sand beaches. Lian Xing Stone Carving Co. operates in Cagayan, Hua Xia Mining in Ilocos Sur, and Nicua Mining in Leyte. All have Filipino fronts that possess MPSAs with the DENR. The National Bureau of Investigation recently raided the Cagayan and Ilocos mines, arresting 34 Chinese illegals.

The Chinese mines sabotage the economy. They pollute the environment, injure people’s health, pay no taxes, report no productions or exports, and operate illegal foundries and processing plants. In Ghana the government cracked down on such Chinese extractors. In the Philippines government officials welcome. –Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star)