Small-scale mining in South Cotabato town halted

KORONADAL CITY — Policemen have been deployed in the gold-rich town of T’boli in South Cotabato to enforce an order of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB) stopping small-scale mining there.

Senior Superintendent Getulio Napenas, South Cotabato police director, said the members of the Provincial Police Mobile Group have been instructed to arrest those who will defy the order.

"I told them to arrest anybody who will violate the stoppage order. Walang palulusutin sa area (No one will be allowed to slip into the area)," Napenas said.

Jim Sampulna, Central Mindanao executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said the MGB and PMRB issued the order due to fears that landslides might occur and tunnels might collapse in Barangay Kematu in T’boli town.

The order shuts down some 100 tunnels of small-scale miners in the area, affecting the livelihood of about 5,000 workers as well as economic activities in the town.

Sampulna said the MGB and PMRB issued the order last week after cracks as wide as three meters were discovered in the mountain village of Kematu.

Citing reports, he said the area’s condition "is getting worse due to continuing rains."

"So (we) have no option but to issue the stoppage order to save the people there from a possible tragedy like what happened in Southern Leyte," he said.

Sampulna was referring to the massive mudslide that buried the village of Guinsaugon in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, leaving hundreds dead, injured or missing.

The MGB-Region 12 office recently identified T’boli as one of the six Central Mindanao towns facing geological hazards, having a previous history of landslides and flash floods.

Sampulna said the stoppage order was issued based on the provisions of the Mining Act of 1995.

"The government is empowered to issue closure and stoppage orders to mining or quarry operators in case there is imminent danger to life or property," he said.