Group pickets ANZ in Sydney to protest funding of RP mine

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Members of Action for Peace and Development (APD), an environmental group based in Australia held a vigil Thursday night in front of the Australia and New Zealand Bank Ltd. (ANZ) office in Sydney. The group echoed the call of Philippine based environment group Kalikasan-People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) for ANZ to stop funding the Australian mining firm Oceana Gold Philippines (OGP) of its Didipio Gold-Copper mining project in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. In a statement sent by APD to GMANews.TV, it said that two representatives of ANZ met with the protesters and were greeted by several foreign reporters who are also focusing on the issue of mining. "The group was surprised because even though they were only seven, the ANZ representatives took them seriously. This may mean that ANZ is really worried about bad publicity and the campaign is (already) putting pressure on the bank," the group added. APD also revealed that a financial professional who reportedly joined them in the picket volunteered to furnish information regarding his knowledge of the Didipio mine’s financial standing for 18 years. Another was a journalist from Wall Street Journal who has been following the OceanaGold story. The office of ANZ in Makati was recently picketed by members of KALIKASAN asking the foreign bank to stop funding the large-scale mining operation of OGP because of its negative impact on the environment. ANZ denial The allegation was denied by Cherelle Murphy, ANZ senior manager for media relations, in an e-mail sent to GMANews.TV on Wednesday. “This is incorrect. ANZ has no involvement in the project," She said. ANZ offers a wide range of financial services through more than 2,000 offices in some 40 countries and has been in the Philippines since August 1990, but Ms. Murphy said the Kasibu mining prospect is not one of the projects the bank is funding. ANZ’s denial was rebuffed by Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of KALIKASAN saying that the firm was “lying". "It is incredible how ANZ could attempt to evade responsibility when it is listed as second in the top twenty shareholders in the mining company's report, holding 16.65% of the shares. ANZ is even followed by several HSBC custody nominee accounts. Moreover, it is the largest holder of listed options with 13.80% of the total fully paid shares," Bautista said. OGP’s operation in Nueva Vizcaya has been stalled by the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya over issues concerning its alleged non-payment of quarry taxes. Lately, it has also been under scrutiny by the Commission on Human Rights over allegations of human rights violations, a charge denied by OGP. OGP's social responsiblity Meanwhile, Ramoncito Gozar, OceanaGold vice president for communications and external affairs - in an email - said OGP is continuing its social commitments to the communities affected by mining operations. “In line with its program to improve the general health of the residents in Barangay Didipio and its surrounding communities, OceanaGold Philippines Inc. has partnered with Global Fund-Movement Against Malaria (GFMAM) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. to prevent the spread of malaria and dengue in the areas." The statement said. This is the second year that OceanaGold has undertaken the program with GFMAM and Pilipinas Shell, in coordination with the Municipal Health Clinic of the local government unit of Cabarroguis in Quirino Province. - Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV