Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza has ordered the relief of the Region 3 (Central Luzon) director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) over the rampant illegal extraction and transportation of nickel ore by small-scale miners in Zambales.
Atienza relieved MGB-Region 3 director Anselmo Abungan and designated lawyer Danilo Uykieng, from the bureau’s central office, as regional officer-in-charge.
Atienza said he is mulling declaring a total moratorium on mining in Zambales, which he described as “the most problematic province in the country in terms of mining.”
“The illegal extraction of minerals in this province is incomparable,” he said.
Eralier, Atienza warned Mayor Luisito Marty of Sta. Cruz town to take action against illegal mining in his jurisdiction.
“A local government unit should exercise its powers to stop all illegal activities in his area of responsibility. They need not secure any clearance from any agency, exercising their powers for it is already clearly provided for by the Local Government Code,” said Atienza, a former three-term mayor of Manila.
On Tuesday, Atienza and Marty had some sort of a “face-off” during a press briefing organized by the Catholic Media Network and Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines in Manila.
Atienza was irked over Marty’s statement accusing the DENR of non-action over his complaints about alleged over-extraction and illegal transport of minerals in Sta. Cruz town.
But Atienza slammed what he branded as Marty’s “distorted allegations” and advised him to file charges against authorities who he claimed had refused to provide assistance to him.
“Such reports are merely alibis for inaction used by mayors who do not perform their job well,” Atienza said.
He said it is the job of local government units to protect the environment and natural resources in their respective localities and stop “finger-pointing.”
“I have yet to see Marty’s sincerity and proof of his non-involvement in illegal activities of small-scale miners such A3 Una Corp.,” Atienza said.
Earlier, Atienza personally led the confiscation of A3 Una Corp.’s stockpile of 200,000 metric tons of illegally extracted nickel ore valued at $4 million.
As holder of a small-scale mining permit, A3 Una Corp. is only allowed to extract not more than 50,000 metric tons of nickel ore annually.