PRO2: Police served court order, not mining company in Kasibu clash

The Police Regional Office 2 (PRO2) stressed that its personnel were enforcing a court order, not serving the interests of a private mining company, following a confrontation with an anti-mining group that left seven police officers injured in Barangay Paquet, Kasibu, on 30 October.

In a statement, PRO2 clarified that the police presence in the area was solely to assist the Provincial Sheriff in implementing a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Regional Trial Court in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

"The PNP serves the law, not any company," PRO2 emphasized, denying that police personnel were working for or receiving payment from any private corporation.

The TRO, issued on 27 October, directed the removal of road barricades maintained by an anti-mining group in the village. The order stemmed from a civil case filed by North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation and the Bugkalot Confederation of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora Inc. against several individuals, including Florentino Daynos, Anthony Glenn Guingayan, Jun-Jun Culhi, and Alfredo Pahalon.

According to the Nueva Vizcaya Police Provincial Office (NVPPO), tension escalated when the sheriff, assisted by police personnel, attempted to dismantle the barricades.

Police claimed members of the group threw rocks, stones, and sticks at the operating personnel, wielded bamboo poles, damaged the windshield of a boom truck, and seized police equipment, including shields, a bolt cutter, and an officer's helmet.

The NVPPO also reported that one police officer was grabbed and beaten, while six other personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation.

Despite the incident, PRO2 said police personnel maintained maximum tolerance, exercised restraint, and observed human rights principles to prevent further violence.

The standoff eventually ended after the Provincial Sheriff and legal representatives of the protesting group held a dialogue. The group subsequently dismantled the barricades and returned the seized equipment, according to the police.

PRO2 reiterated that the implementation of the TRO was the responsibility of the Provincial Sheriff, with the police providing security and assistance to maintain peace and order and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

The NVPPO, under PCOL Paul T. Bometivo, said personnel had been instructed to observe maximum tolerance, professionalism, and respect for constitutional rights throughout the operation.