Group Fears Cover-Up of Cause of Philippines Landslide

Environmentalist group PANALIPDAN!- Southern Mindanao fears that the
recent declarations of DENR and Mines and Geosciences Bureau, that
mining has nothing to do with the Masara landslide and that the area
is a geo-hazard and prone to landslide, are just but ways of covering
up the real score behind the Masara tragedy that took the lives of 30
residents and displaced nearly 5,000 residents.

“With the recent declarations of DENR and MGB, apparently they are
quick in putting the blame to the residents who are actually the
victims of the tragedy here without even conducting prior in-depth
investigation as to why the landslide occurred and how it happened to
be a landslide-prone area in the first place,” Francis Morales,
Panalipdan Spokesperson, said.

Morales challenged DENR and said that, “Instead of proposing another
policy to dislocate the people, why not review the recent policy such
as the Mining Act of 1995 and see what ill-effects it has brought to
the people and how they could pay for the crime they have done against
the people and environment due to their relentless issuance of mining
permits to big foreign mining corporations.”

Panalipdan is apprehensive behind the real motive of the forcible
evacuation of the settlers in Masara and in Mainit. ” There could be
more to this than simply being concern for more landslides in the
area,” Morales added.

Panalipdan again sited its researches that APEX which started its
mining operations in Masara since the 1890’s has been acquired by Crew
Minerals Corporation, a Canada-based large-scale mining company. Since
its acquisition of the Masara gold mine in 2005, Crew Minerals has
started the refurbishment of the APEX processing plant and to date,
its 500 t/d plant is already operational.

CREW Minerals has continued its drillings now reaching up to 32,000
meters. Underground development of the APEX property continues with
portals and ramp systems are being continuously opened as APEX gears
to increase its target production of 85,000 to 180,000 oz of gold and
500,000 to 600,000 oz of silver at the end of 2008.

According to Morales, “with the large-scale mining operating in the
area, evacuation of settlers also means paving the way for more
plunder of mineral resources and an easy way to establish a dam for
mine tailings. Mines tailings are destroying our river systems just
like what happened to Hijo and Naboc rivers.”

Panalipdan!- SMR aside from pushing to scrap mining act of 1995 is
also calling for the national authorities, all humanitarian and
environmental advocates to immediately launch an impartial and
in-depth environmental investigation of the Masara tragedy and to
continue giving the aid and assistance to the victims of the
calamity.*

Reference:
Francis Morales
Spokesperson
PANALIPDAN!-SMR

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