BAGUIO CITY -- Residents from the communities of Buneg, Pacoc-Talampak, and Guinguinabang in the municipality of Lacub, Abra, manifested their opposition to the mining activities of Golden Lake Mineral Resources Inc. at the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) with resolutions to halt the operations of the said company.

The Tingguian IPs of the said communities specifically call for the non-renewal of Exploration Permit 013-2024, which covers their ancestral lands. The current permit was granted to the company in August 2024 and is set to expire in August 2026.

According to the residents, they were not informed of the permit's existence and stated that no consultative processes took place involving the affected population. The community reportedly only became aware of the mining claim in August 2025 when company representatives attempted to access the site.

The residents asserted that their democratic and collective rights to their ancestral domain were violated, emphasizing their right to be fully informed and to participate in any decision-making processes regarding projects implemented within their municipality. They maintained that the renewal of the exploration permit should not be automatic.

The IPs argue that any extension must undergo a consultation process where the community holds the power to decide. The submitted documents also urge the NCIP and the mining company to respect Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 24-2025. The municipal resolution prohibits the entry of large-scale and destructive mining operations throughout Lacub.

A similar municipal-wide resolution signed by Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples supports this stance.

The resolutions were signed by a majority of the residents from the three affected communities.

Although the company has not yet begun its exploration activities, the residents stated that the early submission of these documents is intended to formally register their opposition to any future attempts by the company to renew its permit.

The municipality of Lacub has long been a target for mining and energy corporations due to its natural resources, leading to a history of community-organized resistance to protect their environment and ancestral lands.