A freelance journalist and information officer of a faith-based environmental organization was reportedly “harassed” by a group of armed men in the town of Aparri, Cagayan province, while covering a protest action of fisherfolk.
Environmental activist group Alyansa Tigil Mina reported the “harassment” on Monday, April 25, of Mark Saludes, information officer of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, and Sheena Katrina Orihuela, advocacy officer of the same organization.
“We’re safe and we have reported the incident to the authorities,” said Saludes, a LiCAS News contributor, when reached for comment by phone.
Saludes and Orihuela were at the San Pedro Telma Parish Catholic church in Aparri town when the incident happened on the fourth day of their coverage.
In its statement, Alyansa Tigil Mina said an armed individual approached Saludes to ask permission to enter the church premises “because a prisoner had escaped.”
The man, who was seen with five companions, reportedly introduced himself as a police officer.
When Saludes called the local government of Aparri about the presence of armed men, he was informed that there was no police operation in the area.
People who were near the church compound, however, said the armed men were soldiers.
Saludes said he encountered a similar incident in 2017 when he was covering a demonstration in the same parish church.
“We deplore the underhanded tactics of the armed men to harass a journalist and environmental advocate within the premises of a parish church, which is supposed to be a safe space for all,” read a statement by the group Alyansa Tigil Mina.
The groups noted that similar incidents of “harassment” have happened in several mining areas across the country.
On Friday, fisherfolk and anti-mining activists held a protest march in Aparri to call attention to the impact of black sand mining operations on their livelihood and on marine biodiversity in the area.
They claimed that their catch of the famous “aramang” or spider shrimp has declined after the black sand mining mining operation, “in the guise of a river restoration project,” started in 2021.
At least 1,700 people from 12 villages in Aparri town joined the march to mark this year’s Earth Day celebration that was followed by a prayer service at the San Pedro Telmo Parish Church.
