Capiz prov'l gov't denies violation of mining moratorium ordinance
ROXAS CITY –The provincial government under the leadership of Governor Victor Tanco, Sr. has strongly denied it violated Ordinance No. 06 seeking a 50 years mining moratorium in Capiz.
Atty. Jose "Joe" Villanueva, provincial legal counsel, said in a press conference that the province adhere to the moratorium ordinance which sought to have no large scale mining operations in Capiz during the said period.
"Admittedly there is an existing small scale mining operation in Capiz despite the moratorium which should be regulated by the local government units," Villanueva said.
According to him, Ordinance No. 06 sought for 50 years moratorium was only intended for large scale mining but not for small scale.
The mining act of 1995 allowing the large scale miners to conduct mining operations in the Philippines however, it must have the social acceptability in the locality before mining operations, it was learned.
Board Member Rommel Lastimoso said earlier that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has no jurisdiction over the large scale mining operations but only in small scale operations in which the august body will draft measures to regulate them.
During last week's regular session, Board Member Gilbert Ardivilla and his colleagues Board Members Ricky Martin, Fritz Cruz-Am and Rommel Lastimoso nearly had a fist fight after a heated argument.
Ardivilla, who delivered his privilege speech, questioned why the provincial government through Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) approved the application of BISO Miners Multiple-Purpose Cooperative as small scale miner.
According to him, the application was supported with an old ordinance of Maayon, Capiz, Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and mayor's permit. "When in fact there is a latest ordinance on anti-mining," Ardivilla said.
Lastimoso, who chairs the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, disagreed with Ardivilla. Martin and Cruz Am also disagreed with the latter.
Cruz Am and Martin said that they have the same stand on anti-mining and assured the body that they will strengthen Ordinance No. 06 that no large scale miners application will be approved.