Pimentel hits issuance of ECC to Mindoro mining project

MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. raised objections yesterday to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ issuance of an environment clearance certificate (ECC) to a foreign mining venture in a watershed area in Mindoro in total disregard of the strong objection of the provincial folk against it due to its potentially harmful effects on agriculture and human health.

Pimentel said the issuance of the ECC, which was tantamount to a go-signal to start nickel mining, was the height of insensitivity and arrogance because the local government units and all sectors in Mindoro Occidental and Mindoro Oriental were united against the project due to the environmental havoc it could bring to the agriculture-rich island.

“Environment and natural resources authorities should have disallowed the mining project because watersheds are protected areas and are off-limits to mining,” he said.

“The authority of the DENR to issue mining permits should be exercised based on what is good for the people from whom all the powers of the government emanates,” he said.

Pimentel said it is the government’s duty to protect and uphold the general welfare of the citizens as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code.

He added that the Mining Code of 1995 specifically provides the consent of the indigenous people and other residents of communities around mining sites before the government could allow any mining operations.

Pimentel said the nickel project of the Intex Mining Corp. could by no means be justified because it would endanger the critical watershed areas in the mountain range between the two Mindoro provinces.

He said the degradation and destruction of the protected watershed areas would threaten the irrigation of vast agricultural lands and pollute the sources of drinking water of the local populace.

Pimentel reminded Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza that one of his predecessors, former Secretary Heherson Alvarez, in fact, cancelled the permit for the Mindoro nickel project in 2002 because it would cause “irreparable damage to the environment which will cost human lives, health and livelihood incapacity of our farmers and fisherfolk, endangering the food security of our people.”

“The DENR’s action in allowing the nickel mining operation defies logic because the law invoked by the mining proponents, the Mining Code, expressly provides that watershed reservations are closed to all kinds of mining, logging and quarrying activities,” he said.

Pimentel said mining invariably involves the cutting of trees in the forest and the use of toxic chemical substances.

Aside from this, he said mine tailings are dumped into rivers that not only poison and pollute the waters but also cause heavy siltation of waterways.

Bishop Warlito Cajandig, apostolic vicariate of Calapan, Occidental Mindoro, said they are preparing a series of protest actions against the mining project.           – With Evelyn Macairan