Romblon councilor shot dead during anti-mining rally

A Romblon town councilor, who formerly worked for an international environmental group, was shot dead yesterday morning during an anti-mining protest in San Fernando, Sibuyan Island.

Reports reaching the colleagues of victim Armin Marin in Manila said he was leading a rally in Barangay España against the operations of the Sibuyan Nickel Properties Development Corp. when a confrontation erupted between the protesters and the firm’s security guards.

Other reports initially claimed that Marin was shot by a man riding on a yellow jeep allegedly owned by the mining firm, in Sitio Olango. The incident reportedly occurred at around 9:30 a.m.

Rodne Galicha, of the Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM), an affiliate of the Alyansa Tigil Mina, claimed that miners arrived yesterday morning purportedly to check on the rallyists.

However, when the miners’ vehicle turned away from the protesters Marin reportedly saw one of them carrying a gun.

Marin reportedly ran after the miners and eventually managed to get the firearm. A scuffle ensued, resulting in the shooting, Galicha said.

“The island is split down the middle. The situation (there) is explosive,” said Lory Tan, president of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature-Philippines, for which Marin worked before he joined politics.

Marin was also a member of SAM, an environmental advocacy group which has been fighting for a mining moratorium on Sibuyan Island – touted as the place where the “world’s densest flourishes, the Philippine’s cleanest river flows and the majestic Mount Guiting-Guiting dwells.”

The government has permitted several mining ventures on the island.

source: http://philstar.com

from: Romblomanon

"Ang pagkakapaslang kay Konsehal Armin Marin ay isang malaking pakakamali ng mga minerong kumpanya sa kadahilanang ito ay magsisilbing mitsa ng isang malawakang pagkilos para labanan ang mga mapanirang mina. Ang dugo at mukha ng batang konsehal na ito ang masisilbing simbolo ng pag papahalaga ng mga tao at matinding pagtutol sa napipintong pagsira sa yamang kalikasan at mineral sa Isla ng Sibuyan sa kabila ng pilit na pag supil ng mga minerong kumpanya at ng mga halal na opisyan ng probinsiya ng Romblon. Si Konsehal Armin Marin ay isang bayani ng Isla ng Sibuyan at ang kanyang dugo na unang dumaloy sa pag tatangol ng kanyang islang kinalakihan ay isang malinaw na paalala sa mga Romblomanon na panahon na para mag kaisa at sama samang labanan at wakasan ang napipintong pagwasak na ito sa kapaligiran at kalikasan ng Isla Sibuyan. Hindi ma uuwi sa wala ang dugo mo na ini alay sa pakikipaglaban sa kinabukasan ng Sibuyan, Armin Marin. Sa iyo ang aming pag pupugay."