MINE SITE. Mt. Matutum, a dormant volcano and South Cotabato’s landmark peak, beckons from the mines development site of Sagittarius Mines, Inc.. MindaNews photo by Bong Sarmiento
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 16 May) — After three consecutive weeks of shunning deliberations on the proposal to lift the controversial ban on open pit mining in South Cotabato, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Monday approved the measure, removing the decades-long thorn in the throat of the $5.9-billion Tampakan project, Southeast Asia’s largest untapped copper-gold minefield.
Without objections or dissenting opinions from the SP members present, the plenary approved the amendment of the Environment Code on second reading, particularly the removal of the prohibition on open-pit mining.
The Diocese of Marbel, which is staunchly opposing the Tampakan project on concerns over the environment, food security and human rights, vowed to mobilize protest action against this development, hopefully within the week.
Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas said “parang may betrayal” in the decision of the provincial board to lift the ban on open-pit mining, noting, among others, that results of the public consultation in February was not tackled by the plenary.
“The future of the province was decided this morning in 15 minutes,” the prelate said in a press conference late Monday afternoon, stressing the members present did not even explain their stance.
“We will not take this sitting down. We will not take this silently,” he emphasized.
The session was presided by board member Glycel Mariano-Trabado, in place of Vice Gov. Vicente de Jesus, who was on leave.
Present during the plenary session were board members Hilario De Pedro VI, principal author of the proposal to remove the ban on open pit mining, Edgar Sambog, Dardanilo Dar, Noel Escobillo, Antonio Fungan, Eamon Gabriel Mati, Henry Ladot, Rolando Malabuyoc, Alyssa Marie Fale and Rose Grace Achurra.
In a video taken during the recent campaign period and now circulating on Facebook, de Pedro, chair of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, told a campaign sortie here that “he is against open-pit mining.”
De Pedro, son of the late South Cotabato Gov. Hilario de Pedro III, sought reelection during the May 9 polls. He, however, did not land in the winning circle.
“We are doomed,” said environmental activist Chinkie Peliño-Golle, a resident of this city, after the provincial board lifted the ban on open-pit mining.
Residents of South Cotabato stage a protest against mining on 10 June 2010 as they hailed the passage a day earlier of the provincial government’s Environment Code banning open-pit mining. A foreign mining firm has been eyeing to extract huge amounts of gold and copper deposits in the municipality of Tampakan and neighboring areas using open-pit mining. MindaNews photo by TOTO LOZANO
Board member Ester Marin Catorce, who openly stood against the lifting of the open-pit ban, was not present during the session. She was designated as acting governor, as Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo is on leave.
Board members Ellen Grace Subere Albios and Jinky Avance-Samodal were also on leave.
Since 2010, the open-pit mining ban hounded the giant Tampakan project, which has been pursued by Sagittarius Mines, Inc. since the early 2000s.
SMI earlier revealed in a study that the most viable way to extract the minerals is through open-pit mining. The Tampakan project is touted as the largest undeveloped copper-gold minefield in Southeast Asia and among the biggest of its kind in the world. It has the potential to yield an average of 375,000 tons of copper and 360,000 ounces of gold in concentrate per annum in the expected 17-year life of the mine.
SMI has repeatedly vowed to employ “responsible mining” in the Tampakan project.
Casicas appealed to South Cotabata Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr to veto the decision of the provincial board to lift the ban on open-pit mining. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
