TAYABAS CITY -- MORE THAN 3,000 villagers living along the slopes of Mount Banahaw have assailed the continuous illegal treasure-hunting inside the mystic mountain allegedly being protected by government soldiers.

On May 3, representatives of village officials from Lalo, Dapdap, Camaysa, Alitao, Ilayang Bukal, Gibangan, Calantas, Potol and Anos sought the help of their congressman and presented to him a petition to stop the illegal treasure-hunting operations, particularly in Sitio Idoro in the mountain village of Lalo, the main water source of Tayabas, Lucena City and Pagbilao town.

Attached to the petition letter are copies of more than 3,000 signatures asking for government help to stop the destruction of the mountain proclaimed as a protected area through Presidential Proclamation No. 411 on June 25, 2003.

According to the petitioners, the treasure-hunting site is being guarded by armed men who introduced themselves as military soldiers.

The villagers said the treasure hunters use explosives and chemicals to loosen the mountain soil which, they feared, could eventually block their water source.

Last February, the same village officials asked the Tayabas City council to order the closure to outsiders of the gateway leading to the mountain because of unabated illegal treasure-hunting in the area.