Press Release
October 12, 2007

PIMENTEL CRITICIZES DENR FOR NOT DOING ITS
JOB IN CLOSING DOWN POLLUTING MINING FIRM

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today assailed the failure of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop or suspend the mining operations of a company in Sibuyan Island, Romblon that local residents are complaining against for destroying and polluting the environment.

Pimentel criticized the DENR for saying it could not stop the mining activities and cutting of trees of the Sibuyan Nickel Properties Development Corp. (SNPDC) as long as it has a valid small-scale mining permit issued by former Romblon Governor Perpetuo Ylagan.

The senator from Mindanao has supported calls for the closure of the SNPDC and revocation of its permit following the fatal shooting of Councilor Armin Marin of San Fernando town by a security guard while leading a peaceful protest rally near the premises of the mining firm last week.

In response to the complaint of residents, DENR Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi said that unless the provincial government withdraws the mining permit, the department could not do anything about the tree cutting and ore mining operations of SNPDC.

Pimentel said the DENR should act on the complaint since it has the authority to do so, instead of passing the buck to the provincial government of Romblon.

"It is a pity if the very department mandated by law to ensure that our mining laws are duly implemented cannot perform its duties because of the erroneous notion that the governor of a province occupies a position higher that the DENR secretary on issues concerning mining," he said.

Pimentel, principal author of the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160), pointed out that the principal authority over natural resources has not been devolved to local governments.

"The local governments only enjoy snippets of that authority," the minority leader said. "The DENR retains the main and substantial power over the use of our natural resources. And therefore, it has the power to overturn the unwarranted use of that power by local government officials."

Pimentel also reiterated his appeal to law enforcement authorities to act immediately on the killing of Councilor Marin by filing the appropriate criminal case against the security guard who fired upon his and other parties who may be responsible for the tragic incident.

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