Atok councilor alleges surveillance by mining firm representative

ATOK, Benguet — An Atok municipal councilor has alleged that a representative of a mining company was stalking her and conducting surveillance at the Atok Municipal Hall.

The alleged incident occurred days after Atok Councilor Kelly Denn Venancio Tomas joined a fact-finding mission supporting indigenous farmers protesting the pending drilling and mining activities of Crescent Mining Development Corporation (CMDC) in neighboring Mankayan, particularly in Barangays Bulalacao and Guinaoang.

Tomas detailed the encounter in a social media post, combining sharp criticism with sarcasm while addressing the mining company directly. According to her, a company representative visited the legislative building in Atok specifically to gather information about her.

She said the incident only strengthened her resolve and sarcastically offered to provide her information directly so the company’s “surveillance team” would not have a difficult time. Tomas added that the individual appeared hesitant when invited to meet her face-to-face inside the legislative building. She also extended an open invitation for company representatives to attend the local council’s regular Monday sessions.

The councilor linked the alleged surveillance to her recent participation in a fact-finding mission conducted with a youth group. The mission took place in Barangays Bulalacao and Guinaoang in Mankayan, where residents and students have set up barricades to oppose the company’s planned exploration activities.

Opponents of the project have raised concerns over potential threats to ancestral lands, water sources, and agricultural livelihoods.

Addressing questions about her involvement in an issue outside Atok’s jurisdiction, Tomas said environmental advocacy and the defense of indigenous rights transcend political boundaries. She emphasized that her solidarity with the affected farmers is rooted not in political office or territorial limits, but in her role as an advocate for farming communities.

She also underscored the contribution of northern Benguet farmers to the country’s agricultural sector.

Tomas described indigenous farmers as the primary stewards of the region’s watersheds and warned that threats to local farms from corporate exploration could have broader implications for national food security. She vowed to continue supporting the Y-Mankayan Kankana-eys to help ensure they do not lose the ancestral farms that help feed the country.

As of posting time, Crescent Mining Development Corporation has yet to issue an official statement regarding the allegations raised by the Atok official.he allegations raised by the Atok official.