KORONADAL CITY — After nearly a year of waiting, the fight against the controversial Tampakan copper-gold project took a crucial step forward as the Regional Trial Court of Koronadal finally began hearings on the petition challenging the 18-year extension of its Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA).
The case, Bishop Casicas et al. v. E.S. Bersamin et al., was filed by the Diocese of Marbel, indigenous communities, irrigator groups, and the Legal Rights and Natural Resource Center (LRC). On the opening day of the hearings, petitioners and supporters gathered to show their united stand against what they denounce as a destructive project threatening land, water, and the lives of nearly 900,000 residents across South Cotabato and neighboring provinces.
Petitioners argue that the FTAA extension was riddled with grave abuse of discretion. Instead of being approved by the President as required by the Constitution, the extension was granted only at the level of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). Equally alarming, they said, was the complete lack of public consultations—violating the Local Government Code and the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA).
Adding to the controversy, it was later uncovered that the FTAA had been quietly extended until 2038, a move never disclosed to the public despite repeated demands for transparency. Petitioners have since filed a supplemental petition to ensure this hidden order is included in the case.
The stakes are high: the Tampakan project spans over 121,000 hectares of vital watershed areas. Communities warn that the mine would devastate farmlands, pollute water sources, and endanger food security for Mindanaoans. For the petitioners, the issue is not only about legality but also about the fundamental right of people to defend their ancestral lands, natural resources, and future generations.
Another hearing is scheduled for November, with petitioners and advocates vowing to remain vigilant. As the case progresses, the call grows louder: to put people and the environment above corporate profit, and to stop the Tampakan project once and for all.