For allegedly incurring numerous violations, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Maasin was ordered by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) to stop their quarry operations, but its municipal administrator said politics is behind the order.

PENRO head Soledad Sucaldito said Maasin Mayor Mariano Malones Sr. was given a copy of the notice of violation last Monday, November 19.

Sucaldito said the PENRO’s Mining Section’s found the LGU’s personnel extracting sand and gravel within one kilometer from Tigum River, specifically under Barangay Caigon’s bridge.

She said they violated Republic Act No. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 which states that extraction or removal of materials shall not be allowed within the distance of one kilometer from the boundaries of reservoirs established for public water supply, archeological and historical sites, or of any public or private works or structures, unless with prior clearance from the agency or owner concerned is obtained.

Sucaldito said even if the LGU has a quarry permit from the province and signed by Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr., the PENRO has found that they failed to secure a government gratuitous permit from their office as a prerequisite of any government entity if they want to extract certain minerals for government projects.

Sucaldito said even though the extraction is for government projects, it does not mean that the Maasin LGU is exempted from the law.

“We will confiscate their equipment and arrest their personnel if they will not stop their operation even after we sent them the notice of violation,” she said.

Apart from the arrest, Sucaldito said the municipality will be asked to pay P 5,000 administrative fine and P50,000 DENR fine for quarrying without permit and for not having an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) .

She said, municipalities with existing government gratuitous permits are Sta. Barbara, Dingle, Cabatuan and San Dionisio, and the component city of Passi.

OBEY

Yesterday, Maasin Municipal Administrator Cresencio Manejar said that they already stopped their quarry operations pending the approval of their permit from the PENRO.

He added that their permit from the province has expired and subject for renewal.

But, he said the municipality regulates their quarry operations since 10 years ago.

“This is not a continuous operation. We only quarry if there are requests from barangay officials for their farm-to-market and barangay roads. These are all government projects and we are not into business,” he emphasized.

Manejar also clarified that the activity that PENRO saw under the Caigon bridge, aimed to guide the water flow so that the riverbanks will not erode.

POLITICS

Manejar said PENRO’s order may have political reasons. He alleged that the persons who informed the province about the activity, belong to the administration whereas re-electionist Malones is under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Manejar questioned why the province asked for their permit’s renewal only now when the town’s quarry operations have been existing for 10 years already.

“Indi ta ina malikawan nga may bahid pamulitika,” he ended.*