The Port of Surigao, Mindanao, Philippines and the nickel ore mines in the surrounding areas have been experiencing sporadic attacks by the New Peoples Army (NPA)

The Club has received worrying reports from our correspondent in the Philippines of attacks by armed political dissidents in the Philippines hoping to extort money from the nickel mines in the south of the country.

On Monday 3rd October it was reported that violent attacks on three nickel ore mines in the Surigao Del Norte region of Mindanao had taken place by the New Peoples Army (NPA). Two of the attacks were at large scale mining facilities.

The local press reported that Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC), Taganito HPAL Nickel Corp. and Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC) had refused to give in to the NPA demand for a “revolutionary tax” which prompted the attacks.

The mines have made statements saying they hope to be back in operation within a few weeks. Loading of vessels has continued at other mines in the area at their designated anchorages.

The NPA is the armed movement of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPA). The CPA is an outlawed party in the Philippines and was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in August 2002 and by the European Union in November 2005.

While government troops have been deployed to the area, the troubles in the region go back decades. The President of the Philippines has ordered his Cabinet's security cluster to conduct a threat assessment on all mining firms in Surigao and nearby provinces.