Reyes suspends marble quarrying in Biak-na-Bato

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) suspended yesterday the controversial marble quarrying operation of Rosemoor Mining and Development Corp. (RMDC) in the historic Biak-na-Bato National Park in Bulacan.

The DENR also cancelled all quarry permits which the provincial government has issued to certain individuals as well as the 14 pending applications for permits to quarry within Biak-na-Bato’s mineral reserve, watershed forest reserve, and forest reserve.

The provincial government issued the quarry permits to one Constantino Pascual in October 2003 inside the mineral reserve; Emma Canlas and Miguel Tayag in March 2002 inside the watershed forest reserve; and Alex Canlas in January 2001 and Luminoza Francisco in September 1999 inside the mineral reservation area and watershed forest reserve, respectively.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes asserted that the authority to issue quarry permits rests solely on the DENR and that quarrying is simply prohibited within a watershed reserve.

"I stopped all marble quarry operations in the Biak-na-Bato National Park, mineral reservation, watershed forest reserve and forest reserve located in the municipalities of Doña Remedios Trinidad and San Miguel in Bulacan," Reyes said.

In a press conference, Reyes said Rosemoor’s operation will remain suspended until such time that the company is able to put all environmental, social, safety and health measures in place, its operating agreements registered and approved, and all its taxes, fees, and royalties fully paid.

Specifically, the DENR said Rosemoor should observe proper housekeeping, including designating an engineered stockpile area for marble blocks and slabs.

The company, according to the DENR, should also organize its mine rehabilitation fund committee and multipartite monitoring team, and operationalize its mine rehabilitation fund that includes the rehabilitation, monitoring and environmental trust funds.

"The operation of (Rosemoor) inside the Biak-na-Bato mineral reservation is suspended for violating the terms and conditions of its mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA)," Reyes said.

He said the DENR multisectoral team found out that Rosemoor has not fully complied with the requirements for the approval of its environmental protection and enhancement program (EPEP) and failed to pay P167,308.20 in excise taxes and an occupation fee of P66,061.24 from 2004 to 2006.

Reyes said Rosemoor also failed to use wire saw technology, its prescribed work program; violated its environmental compliance certificate because it failed to put measures in place to prevent or abate air and water pollution, and has no approved rehabilitation plan.

However, Reyes said the marble quarrying of Rosemoor does not desecrate Biak-na-Bato because it is inside the mineral reservation area, which is outside the national park.

Reyes added that Rosemoor’s ore transport permits (OTPs) were validly issued because the company had complied with the three requirements: a valid MPSA, field verification of volume and source, and posting of surety bond.

Nevertheless, Reyes said he has ordered an investigation into the alleged double-marking of marble blocks, a violation of the OTPs, and a hydro-geological assessment of the Sibul Spring to address once and for all the issue on the alleged water depletion due to the quarrying.

Reyes instructed the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force headed by Undersecretary Roy Kyamko to coordinate with the Philippine National Police to enforce the suspension of Rosemoor’s marble quarrying operation.