Mining firm denies ‘profit-sharing’ deal with small-scale miners

landslide site since Typhoon Ompong unleashed torrents of rain and strong winds over northern Luzon on Saturday.

The local government had earlier criticized the mining company for supposedly failing to rehabilitate the area, particularly for leaving behind major tunnels which were seen as one of the causes of the landslide.

H o wever, B e n g u e t Corporation maintained that they had urged small- scale miners to leave the area, which had been declared a geohazard by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

“In any mining corporation, you require tunnels. So yes, Benguet Corporation built the major tunnels there but when we suspended our operations

tunnels sealed,” explained Vicedo- ang mga na ‘yan ay Montes.

Ci t i ng t he Benguet Corporation’s of f i c i a l statement on the matter, Vicedo- Montes emphasized that the company had even filed cases against miners who attempted to mine the abandoned site.

“We actually filed criminal and civil cases against these individuals who destroyed our...seals tunnels because we are

na nilagay natin sa aware of the potential risks to mga their lives,” she said.

The executive also clarified that the “repair” of the tunnels was included in the rehabilitation plan, which they have submitted for the government’s approval.

“On the tunnels, there are engineering interventions that can be done to rehabilitate that, and yan,” Vicedo-Montes said.

naka- programa “’ ‘

DENR Yan ay parte nu’ng (Department of Environment aming isinumite sa and Natural Resources) final mine rehabilitation

na program for the Antamoc mine.” ( News)

GMA