|
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Lito Atienza has advised Oceana
Gold Philippines Inc. to proceed with the construction
of its Didipio mine in Kasibu, Aklan, saying the company
is operating within the bounds of the law.
Atienza
maintained that local officials of Nueva Vizcaya, led by
Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, have no right to impose
quarrying fee on Oceana and stop its operation for
ignoring their demand for taxes because Oceana’s ongoing
development in the site, such as the construction of
roads and the processing plant, including the use of
earth materials sourced from its permitted area, is
legal.
According to the Department of Environment and National
Resources (DENR) chief, Oceana expressed dismay and fear
that its investment will eventually go to waste should
it be forced to pull out its investment because of the
barricade put up by local officials.
“I’ve
assured them. And I’ve told them to proceed with the
development of the mines,” he said.
Atienza
said the local officials of the town of Kasibu, as well
as the province of Aklan, can barricade the mines as
long as they are not physically preventing Oceana from
conducting its day-to-day operation.
“They
can barricade all they want. As for Oceana, they should
proceed with the physical development of the site,”
Atienza said.
The DENR
chief said there is no need to physically remove the
human barricade in Didipio for as long as they are not
affecting Oceana’s operation.
However,
he said there is a need to ensure the protection of
those working in the mines, explaining why he has
coordinated with the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) as well as the Philippine
National Police (PNP) regarding his decision that Oceana
should proceed with the development in Didipio.
The DILG
was asked to coordinate with the provincial government
of Aklan, as well as the local government of Kasibu
town, about the legality of the mining company’s
operation.
“We must
uphold the rule of law. I’ve already coordinated with
the DILG and the PNP,” Atienza said, to prevent any
untoward incident.
Cuaresma
had led local officials and the people of Kasibu in
barricading the Didipio mines as early as last week for
ignoring their demand to pay Oceana’s obligations.
The
provincial government has been demanding Oceana to pay
its corresponding taxes and quarrying fees, which the
company brushed aside.
“There’s
nothing wrong with using the materials. More than a
privilege, construction of road and processing plant is
a requirement because they need to do it as part of
development of mines,” Atienza said.
On the
other hand, he said in trying to tax Oceana, the
provincial government is treading on illegal grounds.
Mines
and Geoscience Bureau chief Horacio Ramos, who was sent
to talk to Cuaresma by Atienza, said he has furnished
the concerned provincial officials with documents
supporting the operation of Oceana.
The DENR
chief reiterated his appeal to Cuaresma to “come to her
senses” and consider the potential negative effect of
her action to the economy.
He said
the current fiasco will send a very bad message to the
mining sector and the international community
Atienza
said with Oceana’s operation going in full swing next
year, the local government of Aklan and Kasibu town will
be the top gainers in terms of the economic benefit it
will bring.
“If the
operation goes into full swing, hundreds of jobs will be
generated. Which means more taxes. All this will
translate to economic development of the province and
the communities,” Atienza said.
Described to be the Cagayan Valley’s first large-scale
mining project, the Didipio gold-copper project of
Oceana, a company based in New Zealand, is expected to
begin its mining operation in 2009 and produce about
120,000 ounces of gold and 15,000 tons of concentrate in
its first 10 years of operation. |
