DENR suspends clearance for mining project in Mindoro

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday suspended the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) it issued for a mining project in Mindoro, following protests from residents in the area. Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. told GMANews.TV that his department has decided to suspend the ECC for 90 days to enable the DENR to look into the “allegations" of the protesters. “We talked with them this afternoon, and their allegations are very serious, especially their claims that there were no consultations conducted before granting the ECC," Atienza said in a phone interview on Wednesday night. “They are also saying that the concession is within a watershed. That really concerned me. That has to be ascertained and verified. If the concession is indeed within a watershed, then no operations should really be taking place there," he added. A group of about 25 people, including two priests and 16 members of the indigenous Mangyan people, launched a hunger strike in front of the DENR office in Quezon City to express opposition to the nickel mining project in their area, which will be operated by Norwegian firm Intex Resources. [See: Group launches hunger strike vs mining project in Mindoro] The protesters, led by the group Alyansa Laban sa Mina (Alamin) said the granting of the ECC to Intex Resources violates a 25-year moratorium on large-scale mining in Oriental Mindoro, and poses health and environmental risks to the residents in the area. Atienza said he had directed the department’s Environmental Management Bureau and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to look into the complaints of the residents. “They must look into the falsity or the veracity of the claims, and from these, make recommendations on the project," he said. He also said that local government officials should not “grandstand" on the issue since they also have a hand in granting permits and clearances to certain operations in their areas. “Our local government officials should not grandstand on this issue. Local government units determine which projects to allow or not through the inherent power to grant permits, as stated in the Constitution," he said. - Andreo C. Calonzo, GMANews.TV