Legal mine projects cannot be stopped unlike jueteng, says Nueva Vizcaya solon

BY JOAN CAPUNA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – An opposition congressman cited all large-scale mining projects in the country are legal saying all these projects complied with the mining law.

Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla, told local newsmen as long as large-scale mining companies allowed by the national government, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to operate in the country could present all credentials, meet all prerequisites and do not violate any provision of the [mining] law, these cannot be stopped.

"If these mining projects are law-abiding, then we cannot just say ‘no’ to them. And that’s the stand of many of our local officials in the province," Padilla said.

"Unlike the illegal numbers game ‘jueteng’ which also gets the same criticism from Church leaders and non-government organizations, mining is legal because there is a law providing for rules and guidelines. Once a mining firm breaks a rule, then it could be a ground for it to be stopped," he said.

Padilla said that he had earlier presented the same position to Bishop Ramon Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong who is the chairman of the Cagayan Valley Regional Development Council.

"I told the Bishop that mining is one of the flagship programs of President Arroyo, so local officials should not defy it but should respect it," Padilla said.
Asked about the demand of some anti-mining advocates to suspend or stop large-scale mining activities in the province, Padilla likened Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma to a referee at a ball game between Team A (mining company) vs Team B (anti-mining group).

"The referee can not declare ‘Team A’ or the mining company to stop and declare it a loser even before the game begins. That would not be fair," he said.
Chito Gozar, vice president for communications and external affairs of Oceana Gold, said it would be nonsense to commit even a minor mistake that could lead to either suspension or closure of his company’s operation.

His company operates the Didipio gold-copper project in Kasibu town which was earlier unanimously endorsed by the Nueva Vizcaya provincial board.

"We cannot allow even the slightest margin of error because we cannot gamble with our multi-billion peso investments," Gozar said.

Like Gozar, Dr. Ernie Mendoza, vice presidents for corporate affairs of MTL Philippines, shared the same view.

While MTL conducts exploration in Runruno, Quezon town, it simultaneously pours development programs ranging from livelihood to scholarship and employment for local residents.

Joey Nelson Ayson, explorations manager for Royalco Philippines, said it is not his company’s policy to harass people.

"Can you imagine visitors like us initiating trouble against residents in the
exploration site? If that’s the case, we are not looking for mines but enemies," Ayson said.