Villagers blame mining for floods

COMPOSTELA VALLEY—Villagers in Maco town on Monday protested the continued operation of a big mining company in this gold-rich municipality, accusing the mining firm of exacerbating the effects of last year’s typhoon to their community.

The protesters, who held a picket outside the firm’s gates in Masara village, also demanded “reparation payment” from the mining firm for the destruction of their homes and livelihood following a landslide there early last month.

Allan Montecalbo, head of Indug Kautawan-Masaralines, slammed the mining operations’ alleged environmentally destructive mining practices that resulted in siltation that aggravated last month’s flooding. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao