Communist rebels vow to stop Lafayette operations
First posted 04:27pm (Mla time) June 14, 2006
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer
http://news.inq7.net/archive_article/index.php?ver=1&index=1&story_id=4883
COMMUNIST party spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said New People’s Army rebels would launch actions to stop the operations of controversial mining company Lafayette Phil. Inc.
"The New People's Army has vowed to take action and assist the people in all efforts to stop the destructive and plunderous operations of foreign mining corporations," Rosal said in an e-mailed statement.
He criticized the 30-day test period for operations granted to Lafayette by Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes.
"It is just a convenient scheme to pave the way for the full authorization of its continued mining operations and undermines the recommendations of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission for its permanent closure,” Rosal said.
Rosal said the 10-million-peso indemnification to the people for damages caused by Lafayette plus a 300,000 pesos nominal fine for its noncompliance with 12 Environmental Compliance Certificate conditions were “a big insult to the people of Rapu-Rapu for all the destruction that [Lafayette] has made on the environment, the marine life, the health of the people and their economy.”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources had slapped Lafayette with a fine for violating the Clean Water Act when it released wastewater with mine tailings after its dams could no longer contain the volume during the rainy season in October and November last year. Fish in the waters in and around the Rapu-Rapu island-municipality died.
The DENR said the two tailings spills in October could have been prevented and were due to human error.
But Reyes on Tuesday said that a temporary lifting order would be issued for the Australian mining firm to resume operations on Rapu-rapu island, 380 kilometers southeast of Manila, only if it would put up the 10.7 million pesos as an escrow deposit.
Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau with XFN-Asia
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer
http://news.inq7.net/archive_article/index.php?ver=1&index=1&story_id=4883
COMMUNIST party spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said New People’s Army rebels would launch actions to stop the operations of controversial mining company Lafayette Phil. Inc.
"The New People's Army has vowed to take action and assist the people in all efforts to stop the destructive and plunderous operations of foreign mining corporations," Rosal said in an e-mailed statement.
He criticized the 30-day test period for operations granted to Lafayette by Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes.
"It is just a convenient scheme to pave the way for the full authorization of its continued mining operations and undermines the recommendations of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission for its permanent closure,” Rosal said.
Rosal said the 10-million-peso indemnification to the people for damages caused by Lafayette plus a 300,000 pesos nominal fine for its noncompliance with 12 Environmental Compliance Certificate conditions were “a big insult to the people of Rapu-Rapu for all the destruction that [Lafayette] has made on the environment, the marine life, the health of the people and their economy.”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources had slapped Lafayette with a fine for violating the Clean Water Act when it released wastewater with mine tailings after its dams could no longer contain the volume during the rainy season in October and November last year. Fish in the waters in and around the Rapu-Rapu island-municipality died.
The DENR said the two tailings spills in October could have been prevented and were due to human error.
But Reyes on Tuesday said that a temporary lifting order would be issued for the Australian mining firm to resume operations on Rapu-rapu island, 380 kilometers southeast of Manila, only if it would put up the 10.7 million pesos as an escrow deposit.
Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau with XFN-Asia
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12:57 AM
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