Local law enforcement Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas) placed Homonhon Island of Eastern Samar under the forces’ watch to avoid violence related to the ongoing dispute between two mining firms operating in the area.
Incompliance to the profit-sharing agreement between partner companies Cambayas Mining Corp. and Tech Iron Mineral Resources, Inc. is said to be the reason of the dispute.
Cambayas filed a claim in court accusing Tech Iron of failure to observe said profit-sharing agreement which the latter counter saying that sharing will come from the net income of the operation.
A court order favoring Cambayas was issued November 2018 which its top official Yan Ming, who arrived in the island with some civilians who were supposed to replace the security personnel of Tech Iron, insisted on enforcing even without the presence of a court sheriff.
This arrival of Cambayan’s president with intent to enforce an issued liquidation order by the Taguig Regional Trial Court 21 worsen the already heated situation as Tech Iron sought to follow the proper procedure by letting the court sheriff serve it.
Authorities started to position members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, Regional Public Safety Battalion, and Guiuan town police on the island on February 8.
Although Cambayas officials agreed to withdraw their personnel deployed to Homonhon Island early February, the need to have police presence in the island is still vital as per PRO-8 Director, Police Brig. Gen. Dionardo Carlos.
In a report by the Philippine News Agency, Carlos said to clarify that they are closely monitoring the situation in the mineral-rich island of Homonhon to prevent violence, to ensure the safety of residents, and not to protect interests of investors.
