The Diocese of Bayombong has called on local government officials in the northern Philippine province of Nueva Vizcaya to immediately issue a Cease and Desist Order against the exploration activities of Woggle Corporation.
Bishop Elmer Mangalinao made the appeal following a court-issued writ of preliminary injunction that was enforced against a community barricade in Bitnong village, Dupax del Norte town.
In a statement, the prelate said the order directing residents to dismantle their barricades in favor of the mining company was “deeply saddening and alarming—not only for the directly affected communities, but for all who continue to defend life, land, and environment against destructive mining operations in Nueva Vizcaya.”
Mangalinao said the diocese is once again appealing to public officials “who are entrusted with authority and solemnly bound to defend and protect the common good—to intervene immediately and decisively,” stressing that “the situation demands action, not delay; courage, not silence.”
On Jan. 9, the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the bishop formally appealed to the offices of the provincial governor and the mayor of Dupax del Norte, urging them to stop the mining company’s exploration activities.
The bishop said such an order was warranted under existing Department of Environment and Natural Resources regulations and the Local Government Code, which vest local governments with authority to ensure compliance with consultation and approval requirements.
“Serious and substantial issues have been raised regarding compliance with these mandatory requirements,” he said, adding that affected communities have reported that “no meaningful consultation and no genuine prior approval were obtained prior to the commencement of exploration activities.”
Of particular concern, the bishop cited the situation in Bitnong village, where residents assert—supported by Transfer Certificates of Title and other documents—that the barricade is located on private land.
He noted that the company “continues to maintain that the area constitutes a public road,” an unresolved dispute that “has resulted in heightened tensions and poses risks to peace and order in the locality.”
In explaining the appeal, the bishop said that the issuance of a Cease and Desist Order is “both reasonable and necessary at this juncture,” as it would allow authorities to investigate compliance with the law, determine land and access rights, and “prevent the further escalation of conflict, potential environmental damage, and alleged violations of human rights pending the resolution of the foregoing issues.”
He also said the Church had received “credible reports alleging harassment, intimidation, and other acts that may constitute violations of human rights, directed at residents who have peacefully asserted their claims and objections.”
Citing Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, Mangalinao said that “the environment is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next,” and warned that authentic development cannot take place when communities are excluded from decisions affecting their land and lives.
The diocese said it is awaiting an urgent and public response from authorities. “At this critical moment, we call on our leaders to choose the people over profit, justice over expediency, and life over destruction,” the statement read.
It also urged the faithful, civil society organizations, environmental defenders, and “all people of goodwill” to remain vigilant and stand in solidarity with the affected community, stressing that the issue “is not merely a local concern—it is a moral and social responsibility we all share.”
