Illegal Banlas Mining Devastates Sultan Kudarat Highlands
TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat – Illegal banlas mining operations have severely damaged around 15 hectares of mountain land in Columbio town, Sultan Kudarat, according to data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region 12 (DENR-12). This destructive practice continues to threaten the local environment and communities.
Authorities urge public cooperation to help stop these illegal mining activities, which have spread from Tampakan town in neighboring South Cotabato. Both Columbio and Tampakan lie within the area covered by the controversial Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) project, which aims to develop Southeast Asia’s largest untapped copper and gold reserve.
Multi-Agency Task Force Acts on Illegal Banlas Mining
DENR-12 executive director Felix Alicer reported that a multi-agency task force conducted an operation two weeks ago to assess and address illegal banlas mining in Barangay Datal Blao, Columbio. This followed consultations with barangay officials and Indigenous Peoples’ leaders, responding to river pollution reports from the previous year.
Local residents had raised alarms in November when the Dalol River’s water changed from brownish to reddish, a likely result of sluice mining activities upstream. Banlas mining uses high-pressure water jets to loosen soil and rocks, extracting gold ore which is then processed with mercury—a method known for its severe environmental harm.
Environmental Impact and River Discoloration
Alicer confirmed that the ongoing illegal mining has seriously affected the local river system. He cited the alarming discoloration of the Dalol River as clear evidence of environmental degradation. The Environmental Management Bureau – Region 12 (EMB-12) has since taken water samples to check for mercury contamination and establish baseline data for future monitoring.
The operation highlights growing concerns over hazardous substances used in these illicit activities and the threats to ancestral lands and regional biodiversity. During the raid, the task force found abandoned makeshift shelters and mining equipment, including confiscated hydraulic hoses.
Collaborative Efforts to Stop Illegal Banlas Mining
The Soccsksargen Environmental Protection Task Force, which includes DENR-12, EMB-12, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-12, and local environment officers, led the crackdown. Security was provided by the Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office and the Philippine Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, Charlie Company.
Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Ali Mangudadatu expressed strong support for efforts to eliminate illegal banlas mining in Columbio. The destructive practice has a long history in the area, with previous incidents such as the 2011 Tampakan landslide, which tragically buried three miners during banlas operations.
Both Columbio and Tampakan share mountainous boundaries within the Tampakan mining project area, making the fight against illegal mining a shared challenge for local authorities and communities alike.
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