Diwalwal miners get reprieve

DAVAO CITY — Thousands of small-scale miners at Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley may operate their gold processing plants for two months.

This, as Monkayo Mayor Joel Brillantes agreed to give the miners a 60-day reprieve from his earlier order closing down, due to environmental reasons, the gold processing plants at the gold rush site.

The 60-day moratorium was among the conditions laid down by the miners, who belong to the Monkayo Integrated Small-Scale Miners Association, when they agreed to lift their barricade at the Bincungan Bridge in Carmen, Davao del Norte last Wednesday.

The miners blocked the bridge for three days to protest Brillantes’ cease-and-desist order.

Brillantes gave in to the miners’ demand following negotiations brokered by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, chairman of the House defense committee, and Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario.

President Arroyo reportedly phoned thrice to take part in the negotiations between Brillantes and the miners so the bridge could be reopened to traffic.

Besides the 60-day moratorium, Brillantes also agreed to exempt small-scale ballmill operators from his order closing down the gold processing plants.

Operators of mini batch-type plants with a capacity of 10 tons will also be allowed to continue operating provided that within 60 days, they can present an environmental plan to contain pollution.

Other mining firms at Mt. Di—walwal, such as Blucor and Bulbscor, were given 60 days to move their plants to designated mineral processing zones.

Brillantes and the miners also agreed to immediately implement emergency environmental protection measures at the mining site, including the construction of settling ponds.