PHIndigenous protesters in Mankayan, Benguet, blocked the entrance to the Crescent Mining Development Corp. (CMDC) using vegetable delivery trucks on September 7, 2026, to prevent court officials, company employees, and police from enforcing a writ of preliminary injunction against their year-long roadblock. The court had issued the order on August 20, requiring the removal of barricades blocking access to the mine and prohibiting obstruction of CMDC operations. The writ was accompanied by a requirement for CMDC to post a P500,000 bond. Despite the court order, local residents refused to dismantle their barricade, which they have maintained since October 2025, citing concerns over protecting their farmlands, water sources, and livelihoods. The protests began in June 2022 after the company's Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) expired, and were renewed in August 2025. Protesters argue the MPSA was renewed without proper Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), while CMDC claims it followed the FPIC process through agreements with indigenous leaders.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both perspectives fairly: it includes the legal actions taken by the court and the company, as well as the community's arguments regarding consent and environmental protection. There is no clear ideological slant toward either side, and the reporting does not favor one narrative
