SEVERAL progressive groups gathered at Roxas Avenue in Davao City on February 20, 2024, aiming to hold a prominent mining company accountable for a significant landslide incident in Masara, Municipality of Maco, Davao de Oro.
The Masara tragedy led to the loss of approximately 98 lives, with eight individuals still missing.
In a media interview, Rauf Sissay, a secretariat member of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Southern Mindanao Region, said that the event, organized in collaboration with Panalipdan Youth Davao, was aimed at seeking justice for those affected by the Masara landslide.
“Ginarehistro namo ang amoang panawagan nga pa imbestigahan thoroughly and fairly ang nahitabong landslide didto sa Masara (We are urging for a thorough and fair investigation into the Masara landslide),” he said.
Sissay extended condolences to the bereaved families and victims of the landslide, urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the national government to suspend all mining operations in the Davao Region, particularly in the area of the incident.
The groups called for a declaration of a climate emergency, urging concrete steps to address issues such as landslides, flooding, and broader climate concerns.
While commending local efforts, Sissay underscored the need for a national framework to effectively respond to disasters and calamities in the Davao Region.
“Ang effort sa atoang mga LGUs, NGOs, and volunteers are commendable but this is not enough so dapat naa gyud nasudnon na nga framework para pagtubag niining mga katalagman ug mga kalamidad sa atoang Davao Region (The efforts of our LGUs, NGOs, and volunteers are commendable, but they alone are insufficient. There should be a national framework in place to effectively respond to the challenges and calamities in our Davao Region),” he said.
Previously designated as a "No Build Zone" in 2008 by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Davao Region (MGB-Davao), Masara witnessed a landslide outside the active mining site of Apex Mining Corporation.
Capter John Tubo, a senior supervising geologist of MGB-Davao, said during Kapehan sa Dabaw on February 19, 2024, that continuous rains, brought by weather patterns and previous earthquakes, contributed to the landslide.
“Bale ang reason gyud niya kay rain induced gyud siya so grabe atoang ulan which is a triggering mechanism next kay ang mga triggering occurrences of an earthquake, I think isa pod siya mga triggering factors and then steep atoang terrain which is grabe gyud ka habog ang atoang area (The primary reason is indeed rain-induced; the continuous heavy rainfall acts as a triggering mechanism. Additionally, factors such as the occurrence of earthquakes and the steep terrain contribute to the heightened vulnerability of our area),” he said.
Sissay countered that the continuous rains affected the entire Davao Region in January and February 2024. He argued that attributing the landslide solely to weather conditions is inappropriate, emphasizing the responsibility and accountability of the mining company.
“Inappropriate muingon ang MGB ug ang DENR nga kanang walay responsibility and accountability ang mining company sa nahitabo nga landslide kay dako ang scope sa mining sa Davao de Oro ug uban pang kabahinana sa region ("It is inappropriate for the MGB and DENR to claim that the mining company bears no responsibility or accountability for the landslide. The scale of mining activities in Davao de Oro and other regions is extensive),” Sissay said.
The Davao City-based environment group, Interfacing Development Interventions For Sustainability (Idis), asserted in a February 15, 2024 press statement that, despite not being an active site, the landslide area falls under Apex Mining’s Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA 234-2007 XI).
Idis criticized Apex Mining’s continued operations in a highly susceptible area, highlighting the company's awareness through reports and DENR-MGB Davao declarations.
The group called for a complete halt to operations in Masara and critical areas, advocating increased collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and local communities to prioritize biodiversity, water resources, and the well-being of the people. RGP
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