By Louise Maureen Simeon (The
Philippine Star) | Updated July 9, 2016 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended the operations of
four mining companies in Zambales for breach of environmental standards.
Suspended by the DENR-Mines and
Geosciences Bureau (MGB) were Benguet Corp. Nickel Mines Inc., Zambales
Diversified Metals Corp., LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. and Eramen Minerals
Inc.
The suspension followed the Writ of
Kalikasan issued by the Supreme Court against the four mining firms, said MGB
director Leo Jasareno.
Jasareno clarified the preventive
suspension against the companies had nothing to do with the audit ordered by
newly-installed Environment Secretary Gina Lopez on all mining firms operating
in the country.
“The suspension order –signed by the
regional directors of the MGB, DENR, and Environmental Management Bureau– is
effective immediately,” he said.
The suspension covers all extraction
of nickel ores and the future expansion of mining areas. It will be implemented
until companies employ a systematic mining method with defined benches and
cleaning.
The MGB also required the companies
to have designated stockpile areas that are equipped with proper drainage
system in line with the conditions of their environmental compliance
certificates.
The government regulator also
ordered the firms to employ proper care and maintenance measures for the
duration of the suspension – including the continuous implementation of all
environmental protection and enhancement programs.
Last month, the High Court already
issued a Writ of Kalikasan on the four companies and Shangfil Mining and
Trading Corp. and ordered the Court of Appeals to conduct hearings to determine
if a temporary environmental protection order should be issued.
This is not the first time that the
firms’ operations were suspended by the government as a similar order was
issued in July 2014.
The new administration remains firm
on its thrust of suspending mining companies that fail to secure international
certification on safety standards as it calls for responsible mining in the
Philippines.
The Chamber of Mines of the
Philippines (COMP) disclosed Thursday that Benguet Corp. Nickel Mines Inc., and
Eramen Minerals Inc. were ISO certified.
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