SC asked to issue writ of kalikasan to prevent another mining disaster A PETITION has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking the issuance of a writ of kalikasan with a temporary environmental protection order to compel the national government and Marcopper Mining Corp. to put up mitigating measures to prevent a repeat of the 1996 Marinduque disaster. In a three-page petition, former Mayor Pedrito Nepomuceno of Boac, Marinduque, noted that after the Marcopper mine-waste spill into Boac River in 1996, the mining company stopped its mining operation leaving its siltation dams, the Makulapnit and the Maguila-guila, without proper maintenance. Thus, Nepomuceno said these dams pose imminent danger to the people of Boac and the town of Mogpog. by Joel R. San Juan - Oct 18, 2014 Nepomuceno noted that several letters were sent to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as the provincial government of Marinduque, informing them of the danger posed by the unmaintained dams. Despite of this, the former mayor lamented that no action has been taken by concerned government officials. “Whereas upon filing of this petition, a temporary environmental protection order and a writ of kalikasan be issued, ordering respondents and any person acting on their behalf to immediately respond to the call for a remediation and installation, construction of mitigating measures or whatsoever is necessary for the removal of any threat coming from the unmaintained Makulapnit and Maguila-guila dams of Marcopper Mining Corp.,” the petitioner said. Nepomuceno also urged the Court to order the respondents to remove or cause the removal of all underground tunnels and any existing structure detrimental or a threat to the environment, or that may bring environmental disaster and prevent a repeat of the 1996 mining disaster. It can be recalled that on December 6, 1993, at the height of Typhoon Monang, the siltation dam of Marcopper broke, sending a sudden flood down the Mogpog River. Two people were killed; the farms, crops, homes and livestockof the residents were destroyed owing to the deluge of mine tailings and toxic effluent. After the incident, the Mogpog River was declared biologically dead. The Boac River was also declared biologically dead on March 24, 1996. The incident resulted in the suspension of Marcopper’s operation, which was ordered on April 1, 1996, by the Pollution Adjudication Board of the DENR. Separately from this order, the DENR ordered on June 21, 1996, the cancellation of Marcopper’s environmental compliance certificate, without which Marcopper could not continue to undertake its mining operations.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 11:55:06 +0000
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