Miners accept demolition

PANTUKAN, Compostela Valley—The demolition of a community of fortune seekers on a gold-rush site here proceeded peacefully, sending dozens of people packing and leaving a danger zone where they had been willing to risk life and limb in the hope of striking gold.

One of those who left, Celso Salibay, said he was heeding the order to leave the area following the Jan. 5 landslide that killed 37 people.

“I guess there’s nothing we can do about it,” said Salibay, 31.

Dr. Arnulfo Lantaya, Pantukan health officer and also spokesperson of the town’s crisis committee, said there was no resistance from miners. Others volunteered to leave, he said.

According to Lantaya, up to 200 shanties would be destroyed in the clearing operation that started on Wednesday and was still ongoing yesterday.

The people have to search for places to move to on their own, said Lantaya, as government has not set aside a resettlement area for them.

Lantaya said the area is now a no habitation zone. “If it’s possible, the entire village will be demolished because it is really dangerous out there,” Lantaya said.

The government was ready to use force should demolition teams, backed by policemen and soldiers, encounter resistance from the miners.

Mayor Celso Sarenas said officials had tried to enforce a previous order to empty the area of people by negotiating with those residing in the danger zone.

“We have been trying to convince them, but they won’t listen,” the mayor said.

There was no choice for the people, this time. Ariel Alcantara, 37, a father of three, said he would return to Manila.

“I still value my life,” he said.

Supt. Ireneo Dalogdog, head of the police team escorting the demolition teams, said some miners had begged to be transferred to a place not far from the gold-rush site.

The miners, said Dalogdog, asked to be allowed to dig for gold during the day and leave the area at night.

Apolinario Malinaw, 48, a miner since 1986 and who raised seven children in the mountain village, said he knew of the dangers but the reward was good. “I grew up poor. I went here and raised my own family. I can now even afford a vacation,” he said.

Arturo Uy, Compostela Valley governor, said an independent body would be activated to investigate the landslide and lead to policy to prevent loss of lives in the future.

The body, said Uy, would not be a “fault-finding commission.” He admitted, though, that local officials were partly to blame for the deaths during the Jan. 5 landslide.

“No personality or politician would be singled out here,” said the governor. Dennis Jay Santos and Frinston Lim, Inquirer Mindanao