Tension mounts at Didipio mines
16-MAY-2008 Intellasia | The Manila Times
May 16, 2008 - 7:00:00 AM
|
|
Tension mounts at Didipio gold and copper mines as Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma ordered provincial authorities to stop quarrying activities at the mine site Wednesday morning.
Members of the provincial Environment and Natural Resources office and Philippine National Police flagged down and commandeered dump trucks of CCF Co., stopping operations here.
CCF Co was commissioned by Oceana Gold Phils. for hauling and excavation works during the site preparation of the mining area.
Oceana Gold started to conduct earth-moving activities on Tuesday citing that they have to construct siltation ponds and make gabions for slope protection in critical areas within and outside the mining area to address environmental repercussions with the onset of the rainy season.
On Monday, the provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer tried to stop the company from conducting mitigating measures such as slope protection and building siltation ponds.
Lucy Exconde, environment manager of Oceana Gold, argued that if the provincial government will not allow the backhoes and dump trucks to operate, municipalities belonging to Quirino province might suffer from silt coming from Didipio.
On Tuesday, the mining company continued its operations, which reportedly caught the ire of the governor who called for a dialogue on Tuesday afternoon.
There was no resolution despite the dialogue.
Oceana Gold said it has to immediately address environmental concerns, as it fears that with the onset of the rainy season, silt would run downstream if no earth movement happens.
In a letter dated April 9, 2008, the Office of the Governor of Nueva Viscaya issued a cease and desist order directing Delta Corp and Oceana Gold Phils. "to cease and desist from their ongoing quarrying activities in the Didipio Gold-Copper Project immediately upon receipt of this order and is further instructed not to resume its operations on site without proper instructions from this office."
On Tuesday, Cuaresma stood pat and said no to quarrying until the mining company pays the provincial government "quarrying taxes."
However, in a letter dated April 22 to Cuaresma, Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said, "pursuant to Section 48 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, a financial or technical assistance agreement contractor has the right to extract and remove sand and gravel and other loose materials without need of a permit."
Cabbaruguis, Quirino Mayor Dave Longid in an earlier interview with The Manila Times said, "Let us talk first about the environment, then we settle boundary issues before we discuss financial matters."
"We must look into the welfare of our constituents first," he stressed, referring to Cuaresma's decision to issue a cease and desist order.
The mayor noted that Cabbaruguis would be greatly affected by quarrying activities in Didipio.
Cabbaruguis is a downstream municipality near the Didipio Gold-Copper Project that is dependent on farming.
|
Advertising
