Residents of Barangay Bitnong, Dupax del Norte, Nueva Viscaya put up a barricade on their land on September 17 to block the entry of the company’s mining equipment.

Community leader Florentino Daynos said they barricaded the road to block the company’s large machines from passing through. The residents are pooling in financial and material support to sustain the barricade, and sitio officials have been organizing the effort to maintain the campaign.

The company began excavating in Barangay Bitnong on August 4 without permission or consultation with the community regarding its activities. The people’s widespread opposition to the planned exploration temporarily halted the company’s operations.

Meanwhile, the company left its mining equipment without permission on the private land of a resident who immediately reported it to the barangay.

The said barricade is an expression of the widespread denunciation of the communities in Dupax del Norte against the exploration and mining plan of the United Kingdom company Woggle Corporation.

Residents, barangay officials of Oyao, the municipal council, and the Diocese of Bayombong have earlier expressed their condemnation.

Church members and residents also launched a protest outside St. Anne Parish on September 12. On the same day, Woggle Corporation organized a fake public forum, which residents described as insulting and fake.

Barangay Inaban residents are calling for a consultation on September 21 with members of the municipal council, Vice Mayor Ric Ronelson Asuncion, and Representative Timothy Cayton to address the questions of residents regarding the planned exploration. They stated that if no official attends the activity, they will march to the municipal hall to raise their questions there.