“Surigao IP leader, anti-mining activist, gunned down”, 23 Jan 2017

A leader of Mamanwa tribe was gunned down by unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle on Friday, Jan. 20 in Claver, a mining town in Surigao del Norte.

The anti-mining activist and tribal leader, identified as Veronico “Nico” Lapsay Delamente, 27, was shot dead…in Punta Naga, Brgy. Caagdianao, according to Kalipunan ng Mga Katutubong Mamayan ng Pilipinas…

“The assailants were not apprehended despite the presence of a military detachment of the Task Force Diamond of the Philippine Army at the entrance of the road exiting Punta Naga,” the group [Kasalo, a lumad organization] said.

Delamente was killed on the same day that Lumad-Mamanwas were set to hold a meeting in Punta Naga for the Indigenous People’s Survey with the NCIP representatives in Surigao del Norte.

“The assembly was being held to discuss the conflicts between Lumad groups in connection with the large scale nickel mining operations within the ancestral lands of the Lumad Mamanwa,” Kamp said…

Delamente was known for fighting the rights of Mamanwa tribe and his tough stance against the large scale nickel mining companies operating within their ancestral lands. These are Adnama Mining Resources Inc. Tag-anito Mining Company-Nickel Asia Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp. and Claver Mineral Development Corp…