House panel to probe Davao de Oro landslide, link to mining ops

A resolution has been filed in the House of Representatives to investigate the deadly landslide that occurred in Davao de Oro on February 6, which has now resulted in 68 deaths.

House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas, along with France L. Castro and Raoul Danniel A. Manuel, submitted House Resolution 1587 urging the committee on natural resources to probe Apex Mining Corp.'s operations and their potential link to the landslide.

Brosas highlighted environmental concerns and called for a suspension of large-scale mining operations nationwide, citing their negative impact on communities and the environment.

The resolution comes as Party-list Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo filed HR 1568, which seeks to review current mining regulations and implement strict no-build zone rules to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Earlier, Apex Mining Corp. stated that the site of the landslide is not part of its mining area but has since focused on helping the affected barangay overcome challenges brought about by the disaster.

Records show that two landslides occurred in the same town in September 2008, killing 24 people, raising concerns about potential similar incidents during the upcoming monsoon season.