Duterte asked to stop Tampakan mining in Mindanao

Duterte asked to stop Tampakan mining in Mindanao

Green group cites quakes and ASEAN statement to protect environment

Quezon City – Green group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) asked Pres. Duterte to stop the Tampakan Copper-Gold Mining Project in Mindanao, citing the recent quakes caused by the Cotabato Fault System.

In a letter received by the Office of the President last Nov. 4, 2019, ATM sought clarification from the Office of the President about the reported reinstatement of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of the Tampakan mining project. The group demanded that a copy of such a reinstatement order should be disclosed to the public.

The alliance reminded Pres. Duterte that Tampakan’s ECC was cancelled by former DENR Sec. Gina Lopez in 2017, because of the company’s failure to comply with conditions and permitting requirements set by the ECC. ATM claimed that this compliance has not been met by the proponent.

The Tampakan Copepr-Gold Mining Project is owned by Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) and the Tampakan Minign Group (TMG).

ATM lauded the President key message in the ASEAN summit, when he was quoted in news articles that “ASEAN should not sacrifice the environment and the region’s rich biodiversity, particularly in the maritime domain, in its quest for progress”.

“President Duterte should implement his campaign promise that he will ban open-pit mining, and he can start by implementing this in Tampakan, and the rest of Mindanao”, the group said. They also added that Pres. Duterte should issue an Executive Order that puts this promise as formal policy. #

For more details:

Jaybeee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator – (+63917) 5498218 / nc@alyansatigilmina.net

Additional Notes: Copies of letters (stamped received ) to Office of the President and DENR-MGB are available at the ATM website and FB pages.