Environmental Group Cec Slams Government And Lafayette - Philippines' Proposal For Test Run Of Opera

Environmental group CEC slams government and Lafayette - Philippines' proposal for test run of operations

Press Release Defend Patrimony

23rd May2006

"There is no point in allowing Lafayette Philippines to do a test run to show that their operation has improved. The sub-aqueous deposition technology of Lafayette to control acid mine drainage AMD in the mine site is indeed not appropriate in a hilly terrain as in Rapu-rapu island. To prove or disprove this in Rapu-rapu Island through their test run is tantamount to putting the island and its people in a greater risk of another disaster," slams Frances Quimpo, Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC).

"The mining technology of Lafayette will enhance the production and leaching of acid products. With the situation in Rapu-rapu, being a small island ecosystem and where heavy precipitation is a normal occurrence, acid and toxic metal contamination of the water systems within and around the island would be a definite outcome," explains Januar Ong, Research Coordinator of CEC.

Quimpo asserts, "The time to prove Lafayette's sincerity and capacity to address the environmental and social problems that their operations will engender is already over. The Bastes Commission has shown how they have willfully violated environmental laws, understated their revenues and taxes and deceived the people of the real situation."

"Until now, they even brand as unscientific the findings of the Bastes Commission when this has obviously studied and consulted the local folks, NGOs, scientists and even government and company officials. They hold on to the study of the UP Natural Science and Research Institute, when even the NSRI admits that their findings were inconclusive and need further studies," she added.

The CEC supports the recommendation of the Bastes Commission to close down Lafayette and for a moratorium of mining in the island on the basis of the "precautionary principle." The Rapu-rapu and Albay folks should not be made victims again of faulty and careless operation of a mining company that clearly is only concerned of profit.