The indigenous communities in Aramaywan, Narra are appealing to the Provincial Government to lift the suspension order of Aramaywan Metals Development Corp. (AMDC), which was already revoked last week. 

Through a letter submitted by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to the Provincial Government, affected indigenous communities cited that the suspension, now already a cancellation, caused them “loss of gainful employment, loss of scholarship, livelihood and other assistance.” They also mentioned the one percent royalty share of these communities from the mining operations.

AMDC’s operation was suspended after a resurvey of the area conducted by Engr. Baltazar Caimoy found out that the company was operating outside the permitted area.

Just last June 2, a day before the NCIP requested for the lifting of the suspension, Vice-Gov. David Ponce de Leon signed the cancellation order of AMDC. According to the order, Small Scale Mining Permit No. 47, issued to Agapito Salido Jr. was revoked because his company conducted mining operations outside of the permit area.

The NCIP, however, stated in their letter that in their six-day verification and revalidation survey, the team found out that the questioned mining pit was inside Salido’s mining claim.

According to the NCIP, the indigenous peoples are the real party in interest in the case because the areas are within their ancestral domain.

During a visit at AMDC, Salido mentioned that more than 200 families were affected economically of the suspension, most of them belonging to indigenous communities.  

Ponce de Leon, however, said in an interview that unemployment would be the effect but AMDC, according to him, committed a violation.