Benguet Corp denies allegation of Luzon Declaration

MANILA, Philippines - Benguet Corp. has no existing operation in Abra to pollute its river.

In a statement, Benguet said: “Our current activity in the area is limited to the continuous conduct of pre consultation activities to various project stakeholders in support of the company’s FTAA application in Ilocos Norte as required by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP).

The company was reacting to a Luzon Declaration advertorial paid for by certain citizens of Luzon after a conference on mining and ecology which was held at the University of Sto. Tomas.

Addressed to President Aquino, the advertorial stated in paragraph 5 that: “Abra River has already been grossly polluted by the operations of Benguet and Lepanto Mining.”

The statement alluding to Benguet Corp. as grossly polluting the Abra River is “a blatant lie and a mis-informed geography on the part of the self-styled environmentalists,” the company said. Abra River drains into the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. Lingayen Gulf is farther to the south, Benguet said, adding that it is the Agno River that drains into the Lingayen Gulf.

“Further, the on-going operation of Benguet Corp. is located in Brgy. Virac, Itogon, Benguet. BC’s mill tailings pass through a wastewater treatment facility before it drains into the constructed Tailings Pond 1 and 2 located in Sitio, Batuang, Brgy. Virac, Itogon, Benguet. These tailings ponds were operational since 1969 and since then no effluents have been discharged into a river,” the company said.

Benguet Corp. said it does not dispose its mill tailings into the Ambalanga-Agno River Systems as required in its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued by the DENR-EMB.

“Benguet Corp. is continuously monitored and regulated by the various environmental laws, rules and regulations (Philippine Environment Law; Clean Water Act; Clean Air Act, RA 6969-Hazardous Waste; and RA 9003- Solid Waste Management Act) affecting its mining operations,” the company said.