Lopez vows to stop mining in Sarangani

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Environment Secretary Gina Lopez vowed to stop issuing new and renewing existing mining permits in Sarangani province as long as she is head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The DENR, prior to Lopez’s appointment, had given a permit to 88 Kiamba Mining and Development Corp. to explore copper, gold and silver deposits in Sarangani and the nearby province of South Cotabato.

Kiamba is headed by Mohamad Aquia, former head of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group in Mindanao and said to be a close ally of Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao.

Constancio Paye Jr., MGB Central Mindanao director, confirmed that the exploration permit was the first to be issued in the region since former President Aquino issued a national mining policy through Executive Order No. 79.

The MGB also said it is pushing to have parts of Kiamba and Maitum towns declared as mineral reservation project areas.

The MGB said the proposal could stop illegal small scale mining in the two towns.

The proposal, however, was opposed by Socksargend Care, an antimining group based in Sarangani.

Rene Pamplona, Socksargend Care coordinator, said turning some 11,000 hectares of land in the two towns into mining areas would destroy the environment and reduce agricultural production that is the livelihood of thousands of families in the area.

Lopez said on Friday last week that she will not approve mining operations in the province. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao