Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) – Hundreds of members of the indigenous peoples (IP) in Zamboanga del Sur on Wednesday rallied against quarrying operations along Labangan River for its environmental risks.
Labangan tribal chief Timuay Braulio Anlimon, who also stands as the head claimant of the Labangan-Pagadian-Sominot Ancestral Domain, said people from five barangays in Labangan town and concerned citizens living near the river were able to participate in the rally.
However, other participants from both Noboran and Cogonan villages remained stranded after still unknown individuals deliberately blocked the road to prevent them from joining, he said.
Anlimon argued that the Labangan River needs restoration and quarrying operations should at least rest for five years.
He described that many parts of the whole stretch of the Labangan River experienced soil erosion due to the excessive quarrying operations.
The tribal chief added that even the existing spillway in Barangay Langapod used to transport agricultural products from the upper barangays to Pagadian City collapsed due to the quarrying operations nearby.
Anlimon called on the local officials, especially to Labangan Mayor Eduardo Relacion and Zamboanga del Sur Governor Victor Yu, to stop the activity and help in the call for the river restoration.
Relacion, meanwhile, committed to stop the quarry operation run by his own family, and said he will meet with his legal team and the members of the Sangguniang Bayan to discuss what they can do to address the situation.
Anlimon said that if the local officials fail to act on the people’s cry for the river’s restoration, they will make a way to raise the concern to the national level.
