DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Thousands of small-scale miners stormed the provincial capitol of Compostela Valley in Nabunturan town yesterday to protest the scheduled bidding of a 729-hectare area on Mt. Diwalwal that is considered the most productive portion of the gold-rush site.
Mt. Diwalwal barangay captain Franco Tito said the miners are also poised to block the Davao-Agusan Friendship Highway that connects Davao City to eastern and northern Mindanao to dramatize their protest.
“We are ready to block the highway, particularly the Kalaw Bridge portion. More and more miners are coming down,” Tito said.
The small-scale miners are demanding that President Aquino order the Philippine Mining Development Corp. to stop the scheduled bidding of the controversial area on July 30.
The protest action prompted the provincial board to convene yesterday to find ways to resolve the problem.
Gov. Arturo Uy ordered strict security measures at the capitol following the protest action.