Posted on September 22, 2015 07:57:00 PM
By Louine Hope U. Conserva, Correspondent
ILOILO CITY -- Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao said the resumption of the coal mining operations by Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) in the town of Caluya fails to take into account the ongoing provincial investigation into a deadly open-pit accident two months ago.
Mining operation on Semirara island -- www.semiraramining.com
Ms. Cadiao said she wants to know the basis for lifting the suspension by the Department of Energy (DoE) and why the local government was not consulted on the decision.
“The national government should give due respect to the province, which is also part of the investigation on the mining incident. DoE should have written me first so I could send my tripartite monitoring team to check the compliance of Semirara on their safety measures for the miners,” she said.
The governor said she learned about the lifting of the suspension order only through media and when she called the DoE Visayas office, she was told that the regional agency was itself unaware of the decision.
“The national government makes it appear that the province has no more say in it. The miners who died are Antiqueños,” she added.
The DoE lifted the suspension on Sept. 17, noting that the company has complied with safety requirements in its mining operations.
Last month, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also lifted the suspension on Semirara’s Environmental Compliance Certificate.
Semirara is the country’s largest coal producer.
Antique province earns about a P128-million annual share from Semirara’s mining project.
Ms. Cadiao was elected vice-governor but took over the provincial leadership following the ouster of her predecessor Exequiel B. Javier by the Commission on Elections. source
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