NEWS

By Dexter A. See | Herald Express | May 25, 2024

ITOGON, Benguet – The Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) recently ordered the Dontog Manganese Pocket Miners Association (DOMAPMA) to immediately stop its alleged illegal small-scale mining operations At Dalicno, Ampucao for blatant violation of the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and its implementing rules and regulations.

Under PMRB Order No. 2K24-08, the group’s alleged failure to comply with the same shall be dealt with in accordance with the penal provisions of RA 7942 or RA 8087 or the Peoples Small-Scale mining Act and their respective implementing rules and regulations which imposes the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than 6 years, including the confiscation and seizure of the equipment, tools, and conveyances used in the commission of the offense.

The stoppage order signed by Engr. Ray W. Apil, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) and Benguet PMRB Chairperson, stemmed from a report of the technical working group (TWG) that conducted an ocular inspection in the said area that found out that the group was allegedly conducting illegal small-scale mining at Dalicno, Ampucao without the necessary permit which is illegal pursuant to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order No. 2010-21 or the implementing rules and regulations of RA 7942.

The investigation was done by the PMRB TWG in response to the petition-complaint from Benguet Corporation (BC) dated April 18, 2024 that alleged among others the illegal small-scale mining activity of the group in the said area and that the said activities pose a serious threat to the environment, particularly the river system due to the alleged use of harmful chemicals in the processing of minerals.

Further, the MGB-CAR by virtue of Regional Special order No. 083 deputized the officers and members of the Itogon Municipal Police Station to strictly enforce the government’s campaign against illegal mining activities in the municipality.

Aside from enforcing the pertinent rules and regulations against illegal mining, small-scale mining, mineral processing, quarrying and sand and gravel in the municipality, the police officers are mandated to apprehend perpetrators of illegal mining, including illegal transport of minerals and/or mineral products, and gravel, or quarry materials and file the appropriate complaints or charges against them; prepare appropriate documents for filing of cases before the proper court in collaboration with the Regional director and the PMRB; seize or confiscate equipment, tools, chemicals, and conveyances used in illegal mining and mineral processing, including illegal transport of minerals and mineral products, sand and gravel or quarry materials; take custody for safekeeping purposes the seized equipment, tools, chemicals and conveyances used in illegal mining; notify the MGB-CAR for the conduct of administrative confiscation proceedings based on existing rules; conduct monitoring and investigation of illegal mining; submit monitoring or apprehension reports to the MGB and to assist the TWG of the regional mining regulatory board in the conduct of monitoring and investigation of illegal mining activities.

During a dialogue that was conducted in the presence and active participation of the PMRB members, Philippine National Police, Itogon Suyoc Resources, inc., the Itogon municipal government and BC, DOMAPMA officials declared to abide by the stoppage order while taking the necessary actions for the possible regulation of the group’s small-scale mining activities before the concerned government agencies and regulatory bodies.

Moreover, the group appealed to BC to help monitor the area covered by the Exploration permit Application (EXPA).

Taking the group’s appeal into consideration, BC subsequently granted the said appeal under several conditions such as DOMAPMA shall abide by the stoppage order and not to conduct small-scale mining activities until permitted by the concerned government agencies and regulatory bodies; the group officers shall be responsible to police its own members to comply by the stoppage order; the company will put its own padlock at the existing portal gate being used as access to the underground by the group and that any monitoring shall be jointly scheduled and arranged to be conducted by BC and the group representatives upon request from the latter; the company shall remove the metal grills recently installed by the group along 232 FWCD underground and the group will be given seven days from the receipt of the company’s letter to remove all their mining equipment and tools underground.

BC expected the group’s officers to faithfully abide by the conditions otherwise, the company will be left with no recourse than to strictly implement the stoppage order such as but not limited to the permanent closure of the portal, apprehension of perpetrators and the filing of the appropriate cases in collaboration with the PMRB and the Itogon police which was deputized to implement the pertinent rules against illegal mining.

However, instead of allegedly complying with the agreement with the company and the stoppage order, the group allegedly barricaded the access to the said portal and reportedly installed more grills in various portions of the same to prevent the PMRB and law enforcers from implementing the stoppage order while they are still pursuing their illegal small-scale mining activities in the area to the detriment of the environment and exposing the miners to extreme danger.

Source: Herald Express

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.