22 July 2006
LEGAZPI CITY—UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS poured what appeared to be pesticide into a creek near Lafayette’s Rapu-Rapu project last Wednesday then sent out text messages saying that the project had a spill that has killed marine life.
“This is sabotage to scare people and is no different from the mercury hoax antimining and leftist groups carried out early this year,” Lafayette spokesperson lawyer Julito Sarmiento said yesterday.
“It is impossible for us to affect the environment at this time because we are only using water and non-mineralized ore at this stage in the test run and no chemicals whatsoever. We think the same groups who mounted the mercury hoax are behind this. Besides, we are being strictly monitored full time by DENR officials.”
In the apparent pesticide hoax, residents said the creek smelled of Thiodan.
Ananias Balato, a fisherman residing in the island, said the creek smelled strongly of pesticide early Wednesday that his son even threw up. The creek is outside the project and is accessible to anybody.
Sarmiento said the company is investigating the matter and has tightened its surveillance operations with the help of the surrounding community to prevent a similar attempt by antimining groups.
He asked the media to be vigilant and not to fall for desperate and irresponsible stunts to prevent a repeat of the mercury hoax.
“Some groups desperately want Lafayette not to resume operations at all costs either because they love the environment so much they do not care if people remain poor and uneducated, or maybe because it is precisely their goal to keep the poor poor to promote whatever advocacy they are pushing,” he said.
The text brigade had been traced to a priest in Rapu-Rapu, who was known to be antimining and among those who filed a civil suit against Lafayette Thursday at the Makati Regional Trial Court, said Sarmiento.
Sarmiento also pointed out that they already passed the first stage of the test-run and used only water to test the piping system.
The 30-day test-run, which is now on its second stage and on its 10th day, involves gravel and soil to test if the facilities can hold materials more than just water.
Luis Valdez, public information officer of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said Lafayette passed the first stage of the test-run and Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes had already ordered the second stage of the test-run to start.
Fr. Felino Bugauisan, assistant parish priest of Sta. Florentino Church in Rapu-Rapu, said he had nothing to affirm or deny.
Bugauisan was among those who filed a petition signed by 800 individuals at a Makati court seeking a halt to the 30-day test-run that started July 10. Ephraim Aguilar, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
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