2 weeks ago
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OCCIDENTAL Mindoro Rep. Leody "Odie" Tarriela on Saturday expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court's decision nullifying a mining moratorium in the province.
The Supreme Court en banc ruling nullified not just the province's large-scale mining moratorium but also that of Abra de Ilog town's 25-year moratorium.
"With all due respect to our Supreme Court, environmental protection should be paramount," the lawmaker said.
"Also, the will of the people who would be directly and adversely affected, as expressed in the passage of the ordinance imposing moratorium against mining, should be respected," Tarriela pointed out.
In 2008, the Agusan Petroleum and Mineral Corp. won a contract for large-scale mining activities in Oriental and Occidental Mindoro. The high court ruled in favor of APMC.
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Tarriela, however, said that the "claimed balance between commercial exploitation of natural resources, like mining, and environmental protection is more imagined than real." He said that once mining starts, whatever environmental protection put in place, is ignored over time.
Mining activities often result in accidents and environmental degradation, the lawmaker argued.
Tarriela compared the mining contract to the contracts to dredge the Lumintao River in Rizal town, the Pagbahan River in Barangay Talabaan and the Amnay River in Sablayan, all in Occidental Mindoro.
He said residents have complained that the dredging activities drove fish away, threatening the livelihood of families.
Last month, a dredging vessel sank in Rizal town, killing some of its crew.
"Do we need all these dredging activities to control flooding? And most of all, are we willing to bear the brunt of reclamation projects that we in Occidental Mindoro will not benefit from?" the lawmaker asked.
"I think we need to pause while doing a comprehensive review of all these contracts that are deleterious, not just to the environment, but also to the future welfare of Occidental Mindoro," said Tarriela.
The lawmaker stressed that there is a "need to review the laws and other policies regarding industries that exploit our environment."
