MANILA, Philippines—-An indigenous group threw the first challenge to new chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Eleazar Quinto, and asked him to stop mining operations in their lands.

In a statement Friday, the Didipio Earth Savers Multipurpose Association (DESAMA) and the Luzon chapter of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center said six months were enough time for Quinto “to do the right thing” by canceling mining permits in their area in Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya.

“We are challenging the new DENR chief to heed the call of the Filipino people, primarily the indigenous peoples, to fulfill its duty in truly protecting the environment and natural resources of our country,” said Peter Duyapat, chairperson of the group.

DESAMA is an Ifugao organization that has long been resisting a mining project in Didipio.

Last year, it was one of the indigenous people’s representatives to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination summit. It has been calling for the revocation of the Financial Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) No. 1 issued in 1994 by the DENR to the Australian Climax Arimco Mining Co. which has since been inherited by OceanaGold Philippines.

“A crucial part of the department’s duty is to stop mining operations in areas where it is clear that these projects would be detrimental to the environment, people’s rights and welfare,” Duyapat added.

He said that for the past 16 years, the mining project in their village “has only brought misery, division, deception and countless human rights violations to the residents in our community.”

Duyapat said human rights violations in their community have been attested to and investigated by the Commission on Human Rights.

Ronald Gregorio, team leader of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, said Quinto must “walk his talk” starting with the cancellation of OceanaGold’s FTAA.

“Six months in office as the new DENR chief is enough time to execute orders that would be beneficial to the country’s environment and people. He can start with the revocation of the FTAA inherited by OceanaGold,” Gregorio said.

DESAMA and LRC reminded the new Cabinet member that his predecessor, Lito Atienza, announced in January 2009 that the department would take over OceanaGold’s facility if the mining company ceased operations within six months.

Gregorio clarified that the cessation of operations of OceanaGold since mid-2008 showed that the company “has lost all its legal eligibility to carry out its obligations under the financial and technical agreement (FTAA) with the government.”

“The Mining Act of 1995 requires that FTAA holders have the financial, technical and managerial abilities to carry out mineral exploration and utilization on a large-scale mining operation.”

Gregorio also revealed that the two groups sent a letter to Atienza last September stressing that OceanaGold has “lost all legal and moral grounding to continue the mining project in Didipio.”

“As Secretary Atienza’s successor, Secretary Quinto is bounded by his duty to finally execute his predecessor’s pronouncement, as well as the department’s responsibility,” Gregorio said.