LETTERS

The Itogon landslide: A result of prolonged large mining operations

There is much for Benguet Corp. to account for in the horrendous disaster in Itogon that severely affected the lives of local residents from 80 households in the indigenous community of Beda, and in Antamok last Sept. 22. putting the blame solely on natural calamities like Typhoon Nina and small-scale mining as done by BC, while the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources are both lame and weak, when we know for a fact that BC’s socially and environmentally destructive large mining operations since 1903 is to answer for the disaster.

What happened in Itogon already happened in Colalo, Mankayan in July 1999, where Lepanto Mining operated the past 72 years in massive underground operations which softened and weakened Colalo grounds, such that any typhoon can aggravate a disaster waiting to happen.

The 14 miners trapped must be immediately rescued, because BC is accountable for this and to the families. Their effort to rescue is the least they can do and it must not cover up their responsibility and accountability in the whole disaster – the killings or loss of lives, the environmental disaster, displacement of the families and the demolished ili that will never be built again.

What future awaits the displaced families who have lost their loved ones, their home and ili? Is BC going to pay for the long term effects of its destructive operations? As do other mining companies, BC will resort to a media blitz of corporate responsibility through technical assistance to the victims. That however, is not a long term solution but a cover up of the real situation.

This is what happened in Itogon. The environment, the mountains should never have been disturbed in the first place. The mining disaster in Rapu-Rapu where Lafayette Mines operated since 2005 and in Marinduque, where Marcopper created the country’s largest mining disaster in 1996 prove that the Itogon landslide is not an isolated, naturally occurring incident.

There will always be environmental and social disasters in areas of large mining operations in the same manner that there will always be militarization and human rights violations also therein, as long as the government doesn’t address these properly.
We call on the National Commission on Indigenous People, Commission on Human Rights, including the municipal and provincial governments to look into the interest and welfare of the Itogon community – both those directly and indirectly affected.

The provincial government must decisively act to put a stop to such disasters, for environmental protection and socio-cultural preservation by placing a ban or moratorium to large mining operations in the province.

The historical injustice done to the Ibalois and Kankanaeys in Itogon as a result of development aggression – large and destructive mining, in particular must be corrected. The people of Itogon including those of other Cordillera provinces, especially those threatened by large and destructive mining operations and overlapping applications, must unite and resist the further plunder and destruction of the Cordillera homeland.

Benguet Corporation, including Philex and Lepanto must be accountable for the environmental and social damages they have caused in indigenous communities in Benguet. An independent investigation that will not again be another case of impunity must be urgently carried out.

Windel Bolinget
Secretary General
Cordillera People’s Alliance