2nd UP study confirms mercury issue a hoax

A second test by University of the Philippines scientists has validated earlier findings that Sorsogon and Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay are safe from mercury contamination.

The UP-Natural Sciences Research Institute (UP-NSRI) study dated March 24 and made public by Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee late last week tested water sediment samples.

The first UP-NSRI study, issued earlier this month, tested surface water and fish samples.

These two studies confirmed the five earlier tests done by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), all showing that the mercury contamination in Sorsogon, as claimed by anti-mining groups and blamed on Lafayette’s Rapu-Rapu project, never existed.

The hoax, however, hurt Sorsogon’s own fishermen as people stopped buying fish.

Lee and Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez, aside from other local politicians and Church officials, have mounted a campaign to inform their constituents that it is safe to eat locally caught fish.

Albay’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan, led by Vice Gov. James Calisin, has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to identify the people who submitted contaminated fish samples to BFAR.

BFAR’s adverse findings on these fish samples were eventually used to fan the hoax.

But BFAR had said these findings were not scientifically reliable since it was only those who submitted the fish samples who knew where, when, and how they were taken.

Lafayette, all the while, said it could not have caused the alleged mercury problem since it does not use mercury in its operations and Rapu-Rapu, where it operates, has no mercury problem at all.

Rapu-Rapu is across the sea from Sorsogon.

Lafayette chairman and president Carlos Dominguez earlier said the company is in the process of completing all remedial measures to make sure it meets local and international standards for safe and responsible mining, and environmental protection once it resumes operations.

He said the company would only resume operations once allowed by the government, but expressed hope that once fully compliant, it would be allowed to restart soonest.

"It is like a car. You have to drive it to find out if it is good or not. The independent commission can monitor our operations to find out if we, the new management, have lived up to our word," he said.

Meanwhile, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes said yesterday Lafayette’s operations remain suspended, adding that he has not issued any order lifting the cease-and-desist order which the Pollution Adjudication Board issued last Jan. 9.

Lafayette has submitted a 115-page environmental management system for its P1.4-billion polymetallic project, as part of its compliance with the DENR’s requirements for the resumption of its operations. — With Katherine Adraneda