Environment code won’t stop mining ops, says governor

FACE-OFF | Supporters of mining operations in South Cotabato (left) face off with the larger antimining groups, led by the Catholic Church, in Koronadal City on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, before Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. addresses the crowd on issues related to the province’s environment code. (Photo by BONG S. SARMIENTO / Inquirer Mindanao)

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Philippines — —The large-scale $5.9-billion Tampakan mining project of Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) can still proceed even if South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. will veto the measure removing the controversial ban on open-pit mining in the province.

This was Tamayo’s pronouncement on Wednesday, two days before the end of the 15-day period for him to act on the move of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) amending the environment code that removed the ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato. The measure was submitted to the Office of the Governor on May 20.

“May veto or wala, madayon gihapon ang mining operation kay indi man kami gahatag permit kag natagaaan na sila sang permit sang national government (With or without a veto, their large-scale mining operation can proceed because the local government is not the one giving them the permit. They have obtained a permit from the national government),” Tamayo told reporters.

The governor also noted that a national law supersedes a local legislation, apparently referring to Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, that allows the open-pit mining method.

In the last 12 years, the landmark environment code of South Cotabato prohibits open-pit mining method across the province.

On May 16, the majority of the board members approved the amendment of the environment code that lifted the ban on open-pit mining.

The ban prevented the development of the Tampakan mining tenement, touted as the largest untapped copper-gold minefield in Southeast Asia and among the biggest of its kind in the world.

SMI, the developer of the Tampakan project, said the most viable way to extract the massive deposits is through open-pit mining due to the shallow location of the minerals.

CONCERN FOR ENVIRONMENT Nuns join antimining groups in a prayer rally in Koronadal City on Wednesday to press the governor to veto the provincial board’s lifting of the 12-year-old ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato. —BONG S. SARMIENTO

Rallies

The removal of the open-pit mining ban stirred widespread outrage within and outside South Cotabato. Those who opposed open-pit mining, led by the local Catholic church, appealed to Tamayo to veto the measure.

On Wednesday, pro and antimining groups stood a few meters away from each other in front of the provincial capitol, separated by policemen with riot shields, to let the governor hear their positions.

The antimining supporters marched along major streets of this city before converging in front of the capitol, surprised to see that promining groups occupied the venue. The antis applied for a rally permit in front of the capitol while the pros were supposed to have their activity at Rizal Park, which is a block away.

Tamayo, who came out from the compound of the capitol around noon with the promining group dispersing, said he would decide “based on what’s good for the province.”

Talking to reporters, Tamayo said the rallies “will not give weight on his decision.”

According to the governor, he will use his “little negotiating power,” should SMI proceed to commercial production, to push the company to put up a private air and water quality laboratory, and make the company ensure enough water supply to irrigation systems, and that potable water supply would not be contaminated by mining byproducts.

Tamayo said he would let the public know his decision on Friday or Saturday.

Appeal

Addressing the crowd, Bishop Cerilo Casicas, of the Diocese of Marbel, appealed to Tamayo to veto the measure. This was the second time that the diocese held an activity in front of the capitol to urge the governor to veto the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining.

“The Sangguniang Panlalawigan slapped us in the face when it lifted the ban on open-pit mining. We hope the governor will not do the same to us and listen to the voice of the majority of the people of South Cotabato, who are against the removal of the prohibition on open-pit mining,” the prelate said.

Dalena Samling, tribal chieftain of the Danlag Tribal Council in Tampakan town supportive of the mining project of SMI, said they were glad that the board lifted the ban on open-pit mining.

“We have been waiting for that. We hope the governor will not veto it so that there will be no more obstacles for the Tampakan project,” she said.

—WITH A REPORT FROM ALLEN V. ESTABILLO

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