Prelate says fight vs open-pit mining not yet over
Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas has called on the public to remain vigilant.
This, despite the governor’s decision to veto a measure allowing open-pit mining in the province.
“We remain vigilant until the present threat to amend the lifting of the open-pit mining ban is completely done,” CBCP News quoted Casicas.
“As we give a big sigh of relief, we are fully aware that the battle for environmental protection and against open-pit mining methods in South Cotabato is not over,” he added.
On June 3, Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. issued the veto “for being prejudicial to the public welfare and inimical to the overall interest of all South Cotabateños."
The province’s lawmakers on May 16 amended a decade-old ordinance against open-cut mining, paving the way for the $5.9 billion Tampakan copper-gold project to start.
Tamayo said he could not find any reason why the officials would overturn a measure that protects the people “from the ill effects of the wanton destruction of our God-given resources by the multinational corporations."
The veto also came two days after thousands of people took the streets of the province’s capital of Koronadal to protest the move.
The bishop then appealed to the legislators “not to override the veto” and not to allow themselves to be carried away by business and political pressures.