Albay urge DU30 to probe quarry ops

GUINOBATAN, Albay --- Evacuees in this town have pleaded to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Nov. 2, to look into the quarrying activities in Mount Mayon.

Duterte, who flew in from Davao City, was in Guinobatan town on Monday for 30 minutes talking to residents and telling them that Bicol will always be in harm’s way “as long as it is facing the Pacific Ocean and a volcano is here.”

“It is difficult to evacuate. If we ask you, you would want to die first (before you move),” he said. “You are in double whammy.”

“You will not be free from calamity and sorrow so long as Bicol remains where it is now—facing the Pacific Ocean—and you have an active mountain,” he said in an almost inaudible voice.

Bong Go, his long-time aide and now a senator, was with the President.

Duterte hopped off the chopper at 3:24 PM and left the crowd at around 3:40 PM.

One of the residents shouted, “President, look into the quarrying here. Quarrying ang salot sa amin dito sa Albay!”

Others in the crowd agreed and started chanting, “Quarry, quarry, quarry.”

Go, removing his mask to speak louder, asked the crowd, “Who owns the quarry sites?” to which the crowd responded, “Too many.”

“Politicians!” someone shouted.

Duterte and Go, before leaving the crowd, promised that they will look into the quarrying activities.