PIA Press Release02/22/2006Reyes urges independent body to probe...

PIA Press Release
02/22/2006
Reyes urges independent body to probe Rapu-Rapu mine spill


LEGAZPI CITY (22 February) -- Lafayette Philippines can only resume its mining operation in Rapu-Rapu, Albay if it follows all the nine conditionalities imposed by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Environment Management Bureau (EMB).

Newly installed Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes made this assurance in a conference here on Monday with DENR officials at its regional office here.

"I am pro environment and my job is to ensure that mining is conducted in a responsible manner," Reyes emphasized.

He said that he was particularly concerned by the reported fish-kill scare that has adversely affected the livelihood of fishermen in Sorsogon province.

He directed DENR Bicol regional executive director Oscar M. Hamada to coordinate with the CBCP officials in the region and to immediately organize and convene an independent body that will investigate the matter in order to get the bottom of the problem.

Reyes flew by helicopter to Rapu-Rapu island, site of the problematic Lafayette mine, and met with the company's officials and representatives of the local government unit.

From Rapu-Rapu he proceeded to Bacon town in Sorsogon province for a meeting with provincial officials led by Governor Raul Lee as well as Church officials and representatives of some local non-governmental organizations.

Heightened public concern for the safety and sustainability of gold and polymetallic mining operation in Rapu-Rapu came to a fore in the wake of two mine tailings spills in October last year.

Said spills with traces of highly toxic cyanide contaminated the creeks and the nearby sea off Rapu-Rapu island.

Officials in the eastern coastal towns of Sorsogon claimed that their fishing ground had been contaminated with traces of heavy metals like lead and mercury.

LafayettePhilippines since the tailings pond spills had ceased operations and paid up over P10 million in damages for the incident but denied responsibility in the alleged heavy metal contamination in the water off Sorsogon.

The company maintains that it never used mercury in its precious metal processing (EDL/PIA) [top]