Thousands protest lifting of open-pit mining ban in South Cotabato
KORONADAL CITY––Thousands joined the peaceful solidarity march on the streets in this city on Thursday, May 19, to protest the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato.
Residents here and from neighboring towns gathered at the Christ the King Cathedral, where they started the solidarity walk to the South Cotabato provincial capitol building to urge South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. to veto the South Cotabato’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan decision on Monday, May 16, lifting the open-pit mining ban.
Tamayo and Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas held a dialogue inside the governor’s office as the elderly, youth, and religious groups camped outside the provincial capitol grounds.
The Marbel diocese spearheaded the solidarity walk.
As of 10:21 a.m., the protest activity was still ongoing outside the capitol, the crowd waiting for the result of the dialogue.
