DAVAO CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI will serve a cease and desist orders and notice of violations on Monday, January 17, to a mining company operating in the town of Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.
In a media advisory, the DENR XI said they will serve the CDOs and the NOVs to the mining companies in Banaybanay tomorrow morning, January 17, 2022 at the mining site in Barangay Pintatagan, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.
The DENR and its Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) issued Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corporation/ARC Nickle resources Inc. (RCMC/ARCI) represented by Mr. Nicanor L. Escalante, the director of the company on November 4, 2020.
It is stipulated on the ECC that “The proponent is expected to fully implement the measures presented in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) intended to protect and mitigate the projects expected adverse impacts on community health, welfare and environment. Environmental considerations shall be incorporated in all phases and aspects of the project.”
Upon the issuance of the CDOs and the NOVs the company is expected to stop their operations.
On Friday morning, residents along the stretch of Mapagba River woke up with a murky water in the river which directly flows to the seawaters.
Mayor Ada Lopez in an interview with Newsline said when the incident was reported to her, she immediately proceeded to the company to inquire what happened and she was furnished an incident report.
“They told me that their pond overflowed due to the turbulent flow of water and it directly went to the river, they assured me that they will resolve the problem.”
The RCMC/ARC is operating in five barangays of Banaybanay namely : Pintatagan, Punta Linao, Maputi, Kauswagan and Mahayag.
Lopez told Newsline “Actually I already received reports about fish kill and even before the Friday incident, I have scheduled a dialogue with the fisherfolks but was overtaken by the incident.”
Roed Nakila the mining firm’s spokesperson in an interview with Newsline admitted ” Due to turbulent flow of water, the strong current did not settle in our water detention pond and it directly flowed downstream- to the river, we established our water detention pond based on the approved design but the water found differently direction, instead of settling on the pond, it directly went to the river but we will do the corrective measure based on what happened.”
Sammy Quijano, the village chief of Mapagba told Newsline in vernacular “We were not consulted about the project, I guess everything was done up there (pointing to central offices of the agencies involve) we just learned that the nickle operation started, look at our river, its brown. I do not know if it is contaminated or safe, just look at the color).
The RCMC/ARC exports nikle to China but the company refused to reveal the volume of their export.
Nakila said their operation became function only last September 28, 2021.-Editha Z. Caduaya
On January 14, 2022, the DENR XI posted that a heavy siltation incident happened along Mapagda River, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental after heavy rains occured for more than 12 hours with an accumulated rainfall intensity of 111MM from January 13 at 12 noon to January 14 at 5 AM.
The statement added that “The large volume of water allegedly may have resulted to such siltation that caused discoloration of the said river. “
On January 15, the DENR sent a an investigating team and conducted an investigation and assessment of the areas to evaluate the cause of the said incident. The team was composed of personnel from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB XI), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB XI), and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Lupon.
