CARASI, Ilocos Norte—Around midnight of July 12, 20 goons carrying concealed weapons forcibly entered the mining site compound of Rigid Aggregates Mining Corporation (RAMC). The armed group threatened RAMC personnel at the site and attempted to commandeer heavy equipment allegedly owned by Agbiag Mining and Xiamen Huaxia Industrial railway Co., Ltd., 2 firms said to be operating partners for RAMC, which owns the mining rights to this iron ore-rich site in Sitio Lammin, Bgy. Virbira, Carasi, Ilocos Norte. Witnesses allege that the armed group, led by a certain Isidro Baquiran Jr. who identified himself as the personal bodyguard of a certain Ji Chen, made veiled threats against RAMC personnel and boasted that they were backed up by a local politician. However, the rapid response of the INPPO led by Col. Lusad prevented what might have been a serious and bloody encounter. Several men of the armed group were identified as follows: Hu Li Bin, Zhang Qi Fen, Dang Jie, Rolando Salvador, Galapin, Edu Ramiento, and Roy Galvez, registered in the police blotter of the Carasi PNP. The others in the group refused to divulge their identities. According to sources at the RAMC, the company had entered into an agreement last February 22, 2007 with Agbiag and Xiamen, whereby the latter would handle operations at the Lammin iron mine- production, extraction and smelting of iron ore, and shipment. However, sources at the RAMC claimed that their partners had “virtually reneged on every aspect of the agreement” failing to comply with their contractual obligations with regards to economic matters and environmental safety. As a result, RAMC was compelled to file suit last July 4. The suit was docketed under Civil Case 14060-12 before the Regional Trial Court of Laoag, and a writ was served July 12 attaching heavy equipment on site belonging to the defendant companies to the court pending the resolution of the civil case filed. Accordingly, repossession of the said heavy equipment was the object of the armed group’s raid. Sources referring to the armed group intrusion further stated that “such acts of harassment and terror in defiance of court authority will send an adverse message to businesses contemplating on investing in Ilocos Norte.” Stephen T. Barreiro
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