Mining firm stops drilling as villagers raise concern

ILOILO CITY—A mining firm has suspended drilling in a village in San Dionisio town, Iloilo, after residents and officials protested the mining operations.

The Vale Exploration Philippines Inc. (Vepi) on Tuesday pulled out its drilling equipment from Barangay Pase in San Dionisio, 112 kilometers north of here, after municipal and barangay officials raised concerns over the mining operation’s effects on the village’s water source.

Nilo Prieto, the Vepi community relations coordinator, said the firm volunteered to stop the drilling to avoid conflict and “in deference” to a request made by Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor.

“We have not violated any provision of the exploration permit issued to us by the MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau),” Prieto said in a phone interview.

“We are also sure that our activities do not pose any danger to the water source,” he said.

He said Vepi will also dialogue with residents and officials to allay their fears over the mining operation’s effects on the village’s water source.

San Dionisio Mayor Larry Villanueva and 10 village chiefs met with Governor Defensor last week to air their concerns over the diggings in Barangay Pase.

Villanueva said people in the area expressed fears that the digging would destroy portions of Mount Upao, the only source of potable water not only for the village but the town itself.

“We want the diggings to stop,” Villanueva said in a phone interview.

Leo Van Juguan, the MGB director for Western Visayas, said the MGB has issued an exploration permit for large-scale mining to Vepi on Oct. 19, 2010.

The permit, which is effective for two years, covers 3,555 hectares covering areas in the towns of San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion and Ajuy.

The mining company has been drilling for possible deposits of gold, copper and other minerals.

Juguan said the permit was issued because the area being explored is not considered a watershed.

He said there was also no technical basis to revoke the permit at this point because the diggings do not affect water sources.