Diwalwal mining portals padlocked

DAVAO CITY – All mining portals at the gold-rush site at Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley have finally been padlocked since Thursday.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Heherson Alvarez personally served the closure order to all mining operators in the area.

Alvarez said Mt. Diwalwal shall be off-limits to all types of mining, contrary to his earlier pronouncement that only large-scale operations will be stopped as the government takes over the mining site.

Alvarez himself padlocked a number of mining portals, including those of JB Management Corp., owned by Monkayo Mayor Joel Brillantes, and Blucor Mining Corp., of former Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy.

Accompanied by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and military and police officials, Alvarez spared no mining portal from the closure order, saying even small-scale miners will have to stop their operations. — Edith Regalado