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THE
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
remains uncertain on what caused the alleged fishkill in
the waters off Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay, but has ruled
out the possibility that it was caused by a chemical
spill from the mines operating in the island.
The
DENR’s initial finding was released amid reports that
the fishkill was a sham.
No less
than Rapu-Rapu Mayor Dick Galicia on Wednesday accused
Vice Mayor Odis de la Cruz of masterminding the alleged
fishkill that is being blamed by local fishermen on
Lafayette Philippines Inc., which operates a
metallic-mineral exploration on the island.
Galicia
absolved Lafayette of responsibility.
A
composite team of technical experts from the Bicol
regional office of the DENR released the initial results
of its investigation on Thursday, belying claims that
the fishkill was “massive.”
In a
report to Acting Environment Secretary Manuel Gerochi,
DENR Region 5 Executive Director Reynulfo Juan said the
reported dead fish were confined within the 50-meter
radius of the Rapu-Rapu pier.
Juan
said the pier is 10 kilometers away from the mine site
of Lafayette, which operates the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic
Project.
Quoting
a National Police report, Juan said about 20 kilograms or two sacks of dead fish were collected near the pier.
“There
was no indication of massive fishkill within the
shorelines of barangay Carogcog, Santa Barbara, Malobago,
Pagcolbon and Binowasan as manifested in the
certifications issued by the barangay captains in those
areas and as per ocular inspection made by the DENR
investigating team,” Juan said.
The DENR
investigating team was composed of technical personnel
from the Environmental Management Bureau and Mines and
Geosciences Bureau.
The DENR
is now coordinating with the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which is the competent
authority in determining the cause of death of fish and
other marine life.
The DENR
regional office has already sought BFAR’s assistance in
conducting laboratory analysis, although results of
preliminary tests conducted by the DENR team showed
marine water samples taken from barangays Poblacion,
Corogcog, Santa Barbara, Malobago, Pagcolbon and
Binosawan where the dead fish were found were generally
within DENR standards for pH and cyanide.
Further,
the DENR team said there was no overflow or spill from
the tailings pond of the mine sites nor at the lower
tailings storage facility (LTSF) during the heavy
downpour last week.
“The
tailings pond freeboard was maintained at minus 10
meters and the impounding capacity of the LTSF was
adequate to contain the rainfall volume of 65,000 cubic
meters,” the DENR fact-finding body reported.
The DENR
team added that the quality of the marine waters between
the location of the reported fishkill and the mine site,
which is about 10 kilometers apart, was found to be “within DENR standards for cyanide.”
Further,
the DENR team said the mill plant of the mining project
has not been in operation since October 27 for
maintenance.
Juan
said the DENR investigating team will continue its probe
and its findings will be made known immediately to the
public.
For his
part,
Galicia
said the alleged fishkill happened some 10 kilometers
away from where Lafayette is operating and its mine
tailings could not have been the cause of the fishkill.
“There
was no sign of fishkill in the waters near where the
mine is,” Galicia said.
The
mayor based his accusations against the town’s
second-highest official on the report that the fishkill
had been planned a few days before the barangay
elections allegedly because
Lafayette
supported some candidates.
Galicia
said the name of the vice mayor was mentioned in the
reports that also said the mining company displeased de
la Cruz, who was reportedly supporting another set of
candidates.
Albay
Gov. Joey Salceda earlier ordered an investigation into
the alleged fishkill as antimining groups echoed the
call for the mining site’s permanent closure. |
