The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

By Roel Landingin in Manila, Financial Times -
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/8324af96-fad1-11da-b4d0-0000779e2340.html

June 13 2006
The Philippines on Tuesday allowed Australia’s Lafayette Mining to
conduct a month-long test run on a gold and copper mine that was shut down after accidentally spilling cyanide-contaminated waste water twice in October.

The mishap, which killed fish in nearby rivers and coastal waters, did
not result in human casualties. But it fuelled environmental opposition to large scale mining that is just starting to pick up after the supreme court in December 2004 upheld a 1995 law allowing foreigners to own up to 100 per cent of mining ventures.

In January, the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines called for the repeal of the mining law, prompting Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
the country’s president, to look into tougher provisions on
environmental and safety standards. (more…)

http://www.cathnews.com/news/606/68.php

14 June 2006

Filipino Bishop Arturo Bastes has expressed disappointment at a
decision to allow an Australian mining company responsible for two cyanide spills in the Philippines last year to recommence operations.

Authorities suspended operations of Lafayette Mining Ltd in November
after the company twice released mining waste with traces of cyanide, a
chemical agent used in extracting precious metals from the mineral ore, killing fish in nearby waterways.

Bishop Bastes, who headed a Fact Finding Commission on mining appointed
by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, last week called for the closure of Lafayette’s open pit mining and mineral processing operations in
Rapu-rapu island in Albay province. (more…)

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Ben Sharples - http://www.miningnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=60363

LAFAYETTE Mining managing director David Baker says the extensive
review of its Rapu Rapu project in the Philippines has given opponents of the project every opportunity to state their case against it and he is confident the operation will get the all clear.

The Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued
Lafayette with a temporary lifting order to enable the Melbourne-based
company to test its systems and “demonstrate its compliance with best
practice environmental standards” over a 30-day period.

“The important thing here is that the DENR, after extensive review and
a very wide-ranging public debate, has taken a position endorsing the
re-opening,” Baker told MiningNews.net.

“This is a very significant move because of the political focus on this
project, we’ll be expecting there will be very close scrutiny, which is
appropriate, and we’re ready for that. I think the DENR recognizes the
importance to the mining industry of allowing us to resume and allowing
us to demonstrate that we can be fully compliant. (more…)

30-day trial period granted to Lafayette undermines recommendations for
its permanent closure–CPP

June 14, 2006

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today criticized the
30-day test period for operations granted last June 13 by Environment
Secretary Angelo Reyes to Lafayette Mining “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.”

Lafayette’s mining operations were suspended November last year after
poisonous mine tailings were released from its acid pool into the
surrounding Rapu-Rapu river system and to the Albay Gulf.

The Malacañang-appointed commission headed by Sorsogon Bishop Arturo
Bastes recommended the permanent closure and cancellation of the Rapu-Rapu mining operations permit of Lafayette which it found guilty of violating 12 major conditions of its environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

The commission further recommended that Lafayette be made to imdennify
the people in the area for the grave damages caused by its rresponsible
release of cyanide, mercury and other toxic heavy metals to the surrounding waters, resulting in the poisoning of the surrounding waters, the destruction of marine life and of the people’s aqua-based economy and the affliction on the people in the area with serious ailments such as skin diseases and symptoms of cancer, genetic distortion and other diseases. The commission, however, left to the government the estimate of the actual amount of imdemnification
for the damages caused by Lafayette.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal also said that “the measly
P10 million indemnification to the prople for the damages caused by
Lafayette plus a P300,000 nominal fine for its non-compliance on 12 ECC
conditions only comprise a big insult to the people of Rapu-Rapu for all the destruction that it has made on the environment, the marine life, the health of the people and their economy.

In coming out with this scheme to pave the way for the full resumption
of Lafayette’s operations, Malacañang is “rubbing salt on Rapu-Rapu’s
open wounds.”

“Malacañang has again proven its deep loyalty to big-scale mining and
other imperialist interests to the detriment of the Filipino people. She does not heed at all the damages these have been inflicting on the nation and the people,” added Rosal. “Arroyo is deaf to the widespread demand of the Filipino people to junk the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.”

Rosal urged the Filipino people to exert all efforts to stop foreign
mining operations in the country, which rob the nation of its patrimony, plunder the people’s natural wealth, undermine the people’s economy and destroy the environment.

“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,” said Rosal.

Reference:
Marco Valbuena
Media Officer
E-mail:cpp_mediagroup@yahoo.com

ABC News - http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1663239.htm

14th June 2006
Communist rebels in the Philippines have threatened to halt the mining
operations of the Australian firm Lafayette.

Production at the company’s mine in the central Philippines was halted
late last year after spills polluted rivers in the area, but the government has now allowed Lafayette to restart its operations for a 30-day trial.

A Communist rebel spokesman says action will be taken to stop the
destructive operations of foreign mining corporations and has singled
out the Australian company Lafayette.

He criticised the 30-day test run granted to Lafayette by the
Environment Department, saying it was merely paving the way for the mining company to continue operations.

Demonstrators led by the environmental group Greenpeace massed in front
of the Environment Department building in Manila, to protest against the Government’s decision.

But a presidential spokesman defended the move, saying it was a balance
between responsible mining and the creation of jobs for the people.

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=79189
First posted 05:36am (Mla time) June 15, 2006
Inquirer

FOREIGN investors, local business circles and even some labor groups yesterday welcomed the government’s decision to allow the Australian company Lafayette Mining Ltd. to resume operations initially for a 30-day test run, but environmentalists and some members of the clergy condemned the move.

Malacañang said the reopening of Lafayette’s Rapu-Rapu mine in Albay province after a closure of seven months due to illegal discharge of toxic mine wastes had lifted a cloud of uncertainty that hung over the country’s mining industry and threatened the investment climate.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila told reporters that foreign investors with whom the President and her economic managers met at the Palace yesterday were unanimous in their appreciation of the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to give Lafayette 30 days to do a test run. (more…)

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics03_june15_2006
By Joyce Pangco Pañares

After hailing the environment department’s decision to allow Lafayette Mining’s Rapu-Rapu project in Albay to resume operations as a “win-win solution,” President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday ordered Secretary Angelo Reyes to ensure transparency during the 30-day trial period.

Speaking through her spokesman, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, the President said Reyes was correct in allowing Lafayette to operate despite the recommendation of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission to revoke the license of the Australian mining firm.

“We support the sound decision made by the DENR to move the process forward on a win-win basis, and we hope all parties, including Lafayette, the communities, and the [detractors] will participate in this process,” Bunye said. (more…)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/june/15/yehey/top_stories/20060615top5.html

Malacañang on Wednesday backed the decision of Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes to give Lafayette Mining 30 days to test-run its operations on Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay.
Palace spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Reyes’s decision is a win-win situation.

Through the test run, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) could not only check on the applicability of the corrective measures Lafayette has installed but also monitor its mining operation.

Lafayette was given one month to prove that its operation merits an environmental compliance certificate following the two tailings spills.

“We are confident that the DENR will scrutinize the test run to enable the government to come up with a more definitive decision on this issue under the standards of full transparency and accountability to all stakeholders,” Bunye said in a statement. (more…)

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200606150407.htm
By Aurea Calica
The Philippine Star 06/15/2006

Malacañang supported the decision of Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes in allowing Lafayette Phils. to continue its mining operations at Rapu-Rapu island off Albay, saying it was reasonable and fair to all concerned.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the decision would allow a “win-win” situation since Lafayette would still have to prove itself during the 30-day trial run to ensure its mining operations would cause no more damage to the environment and the communities surrounding the project.

Bunye stressed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had taken into account all the factors surrounding the issues in making a fair and sound decision to all concerned.

“The 30-day grace period is reasonable and maybe we should give the company a chance to make their remedial measures work,” Bunye said. (more…)

Thursday, June 15, 2006
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2006/06/15/news/church.senator.slam.test.run.of.erring.aussie.mining.firm.html

THE Catholic Church and an opposition senator on Wednesday criticized the Arroyo government and the environment department for allowing the Lafayette Philippines Inc. (LPI) to do a test-run of its zinc and copper mining operations.

Malacañang however backed the decision of Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes regarding the operations of Lafayette.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said the mining firm and the environment department “are no doubt partners in crime” because despite the opposition and recommendation of the Rapu-Rapu fact finding committee (RFFCC), which he chaired, against the LPI operations, Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes allowed the Australian mining company to resume its test-run.

“I’m really disappointed and worried with what happened,” Bastes said noting that the environment department disregarded not only the results of their investigation but moreso the “cry of the people” who had been affected by the mining spills coming from LPI. (more…)