ZAMBALES MAYOR: MOUNTAIN ALMOST GONE; URGES AQUINO TO BAN
MINING
[PHOTO
-Spot the difference: A small hill that protrudes to the
sea from the shores of Santa Cruz (see map) has lost its top and water laps no
more at its side (inset) as a mining firm continues to haul earth to get ore. A
steel monster (right) responsible for the destruction sits on the
shore.]
MANILA, JUNE 22, 2012 (STANDARD)
by Christine F. Herrera - Town mayor says Paje aware of illegal
activities in Zambales
THE mayor of Sta. Cruz in Zambales on Wednesday urged President Benigno
Aquino III to stop a mining company from leveling a mountain near his town and
accused administration officials of protecting and coddling those destroying the
environment.
Sta. Cruz Mayor Luis Marty said the destruction of the environment continued
Wednesday despite a writ issued by the Supreme Court against Environment
Secretary Ramon Paje, LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. president Lawrence Lenio and
general manager Philip Floria, Philippine Ports Authority general manager Juan
Sta. Ana, and Zambales Police provincial director Superintendent Francisco
Santiago Jr.
"I am aghast at the mining firm's brazenness in defying the Supreme Court,
the House committee on ecology led by Laguna Rep. Danilo Fernandez and Agham
Rep. Angelo Palmones, who demanded a stop to the ongoing uncontrolled
destruction of our environment," Marty told the Manila Standard.
Paje said Wednesday the mining company had been warned.
"We will follow procedures. If warranted, we will revoke their license," Paje
said of LAMI.
He said the department's regional office had already issued a notice of
violation and asking the Chinese mining company to "cease and desist from
further construction and development" until it had rehabilitated the affected
areas.
"We also furnished Congressman Palmones a copy of the notice. We will require
another investigation if that will help resolve the issue,' Paje said.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued the writ sought by Palmones after he
said Paje and other Environment Department officials had ignored their calls to
stop the mining company from leveling a mountain to build a port that would be
used to ship soil rich in chromite and nickel to China.
"When I tried to warn LAMI [on Wednesday] about the [Supreme Court's] writ, I
was simply told that [the Environment Department would answer for it] and they
continued the leveling of the mountains and the earth-moving activities as if my
presence did not even matter," Marty said.
"We want the President to investigate Paje, including the officials under him
because we were not remiss in informing them about the unabated cutting down of
centuries-old trees and leveling of the mountains, despite their not having a
permit to do so." he said.
"We have done everything to let the national government know about the
illegal activities here. The lawmakers under the House committee on ecology came
here but they did not budge. The Supreme Court issued a writ and they did not
budge. Who are these important people that LAMI is bragging about?"
Even the provincial and regional environment and ports officials pointed to
"higher-ups" when Marty said he confronted them.
The mayor said LAMI intended to put up a seaport in Bolitoc to ship raw soil
and rocks to China from the mining site in Giunabon, Sta. Cruz, some 25
kilometers away.
"They are not only leveling the mountains in Bolitoc. They already felled
trees and hauled raw soil and rocks in the Guinabon mountains," Marty said.
"The Bolitoc forest is by the sea. You can hardly see any forest by the sea
anymore."
Marty said local officials were bypassed and the affected communities were
not consulted when the multi-billion-peso mining project began.
"We do not get a single centavo from the multibillion-peso mining project
because LAMI said it remits directly to the national government," Marty said.
"We want the President to intervene and order an investigation because the
communities in Sta.
Cruz are angered by the continued destruction," Marty also complained about
LAMI's heavily armed men that dismantled the Bantay-Dagat outpost in the middle
of the waters and whose watchers were guarding against poachers.
"Our Bantay-Dagat personnel were unarmed and they were unceremoniously shooed
away from the outpost, which is now unmanned and a silent witness to the
destruction," the mayor said.
Soon, Marty said, the Bantay-Dagat outpost would be buried by mountain soil
as LAMI was continuing to reclaim the sea without regard for marine life such as
corals and fish. With Othel V. Campos
(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on
/2012/June/21)
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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rights reserved
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