The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Wednesday the fatal landslide that claimed the lives of over 45 people in Itogon, Benguet was not caused by mining operations.
DENR-attached agency Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) explained there was no mining operations where the debris materials came from.
MGB-Cordillera Administrative Region Director Fay Apil noted that the huge amount of rainfall during the onslaught of Ompong is among the factors that may have caused the landslides. She explained the standard rainfall amount in the area for this month is 570 millimeters, but it reached 970 millimeters for just 12 hours when Ompong hit the province.
“With or without the mining, magla-landslide d’yan. Nagkaroon ng landslide hindi dahil sa mining, kung hindi [dahil] sa texture ng lupa, and at the same time yung slope niya, very steep yung slope niya,” DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda added.
Possible neglect
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said they are now looking into whether or not local officials and Benguet Corporation committed neglect in the area where the landslide occurred.
Cimatu clarified he is not against small-scale mining, but noted it should be regulated and supervised by local officials. He also pointed out that miners who committed violations were not regulated and were doing packet mining.
He said 1,000 small-scale miners were not authorized to operate in Benguet province, including those in Itogon.
Cimatu noted the team he is sending to the accident site will determine the culpability of local officials and the Benguet corp.
“This is a geohazard zone. During the typhoon they (people) were supposed to get out of the area,” the DENR official explained.
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