Lafayette’s 30-day test run
A Simple Gimmick?
The government’s
decision to allow a mining company to have a 30-day test run angered the
members of a fact-finding commission that found Lafayette
negligent and responsible for the mine spills that happened in October.
According to them, the decision shows the administration’s bias for
transnational mining corporations.
BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN
Bulatlat
|
Environmental groups
in symbolic protest against
the DENR decision granting a
30-day test run to Lafayette Mining
PHOTO BY
AUBREY MAKILAN |
Nothing but “a simple
gimmick.”
The Rapu-Rapu Fact
Finding Commission (RRFFC) used this phrase to describe the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) decision to allow a mining
company’s 30-day test run.
RRFFC’s Dr. Aloysius
Baes said that the test does not actually involve Lafayette Processing,
Inc (LPI) environmental capability, especially on major issues like acid
mine drainage (AMD) or containment of mine wastes. Baes said that these
cannot be tested in just 30 days.
Baes also said that
the decision was not surprising, considering that DENR Secretary Angelo
Reyes previously said that only an accident similar to the October
mine spills would make him change his mind.
As a result of the
DENR’s decision, Defend Patrimony (Movement Against Mining TNCs and
Plunder of Resources), a group against large-scale mining, demanded the
resignation of Reyes as DENR secretary.
Baes said that the
DENR’s decision shows the bias of the administration’s economic advisers
for mining transnational corporations (TNCs). Baes added that Reyes seemed
to balance things at first.
A June 16 press
release of the Samahan ng Nagtataguyod ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa
Sambayanan (Agham or Advocates of Science and Technology for the People)
noted that the DENR found, among others, that “the mine spills in
Rapu-rapu were preventable.” However, it was also established that
“Lafayette was guilty of lapses” and that it “does
not measure up to standards of a responsible miner.” The DENR also
admitted that it “failed to adequately monitor the Rapu-Rapu operations
and (t)he sharing of benefits from the mining operations is grossly
unfavorable to the Philippine government.”
“Kaya nga medyo
skewed, walang logic ‘yung conclusion,” (That is why the
decision is a little skewed, the conclusion has no logic.) Baes said.
There were reports
that experts, including Baes, would be invited to observe the 30-day test
run. This early, Baes who has not yet received any invitation from DENR
said that he will not participate.
“Collective
dismay”
The RRFFC also
expressed their “collective dismay” over the DENR decision in a manifesto
last June 16. “We do express a profound sadness that the DENR made the
attracting of foreign investments its new mandate.”
The manifesto,
however, was not signed by RRFFC member Greg Tabuena. Earlier, he said
that he “cannot, with a clear conscience, conclude that the commission has
been fair to all interested parties and that the report was indeed an
impartial and objective one.” He also said that no connection had been
established between the Rapu-Rapu mining spills and the fishkill in
Sorsogon (600 kms southeast of Manila).
Baes said that
Tabuena is being “insincere and dishonest.” He stressed that Tabuena was
the one who suggested to look at LPI’s economic and financial aspect. “Ngayon
ko lang naisip na siguro sinabi niya ‘yon para ma-off set ang
environmental at health issues,” (Perhaps he said that to offset
the environmental and health issues.) he said.
Small-scale mining
The manifesto also
disagreed with the DENR’s claim that revoking LPI’s environment compliance
certificate (ECC) would mean the entry of “small-scale miners who are
likely to use mercury in their extraction of gold.”
Unlike in other
mining areas like Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley where gold nuggets can
be extracted, Baes said that
Rapu-Rapu has lost much of its gold last year.
“Walang small-scale
miners na susubok magmina dito dahil mahirap ang proseso ng pagtanggal ng
maliliit na amount ng ginto sa copper at zinc ores,” (No small-scale
miners will try to mine here because it is hard to extract small amounts
of gold from copper and zinc ores.) said Baes.
Fr. Felino Bugauisan,
assistant parish priest of Rapu-Rapu and chair of Sagip-Isla (Save the
island), for his part called on the military in Rapu-Rapu to leave because
the people are afraid of them. Sagip-Isla is a multi-sectoral organization
opposed to mining operations in the island off Legazpi City in Albay (550
kms southeast of Manila).
Local strength
Even then, neither
the military intimidation nor government decisions favoring LPI would
weaken the resolve of the anti-mining Rapu-Rapu locals and their
advocates. Bugauisan said that about 20,000 people protested the DENR
decision in Legazpi City on July 15.
Bugauisan said that
they are planning to file criminal cases against LPI for the effects of
their operations on the environment and the people’s health. He said that
fisherfolk used to place their improvised fish shelter near the shore. But
after the mine spills, they now need to go to the middle of the sea just
to put their fish shelters.
On the other hand,
they will file administrative charges against Sangguniang Bayan (SB, town
council) members who allegedly signed LPI’s memorandum of agreement.
Bugauisan said an SB member told him that P150,000 ($2,824.06, based on an
exchange rate of P53.115 per US dollar) was offered for those officials
who would agree for the resumption of the company’s mining operations.
Bugauisan added they would include Reyes if found conniving with LPI.
Bugauisan said a week
after the RRFFC report was released, Reyes went to the LPI office on the
island and asked the people there to reveal the identities of those who
were against the mining operations. “Sinong magsasalita dun? Nakakatawa
naman,” (Who would speak there? It is so funny.) Bugauisan said.
He added a source
texted him that people were given money, about P200-P300 ($3.76-$5.65)
each, by the company.
Resolved
Meanwhile, the
manifesto stressed that the “report can speak for itself and neither the
DENR review nor personal attacks against Commission members can diminish
the veracity of our findings and conclusions.”
Baes said that there
are senators who expressed interest in availing of their services to study
other mining areas. Their evaluation of Rapu-Rapu and other mining
operations in the country, would be used for the review of the Philippine
Mining Act of 1995. He expressed willingness to help, if only to give
“more credibility to the call for a review of the mining act.” Bulatlat
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