Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar — Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone has denied reports that he issued a permit for mining operations in Homonhon, Guiuan town.
“I have no authority to issue a mining permit. It is only the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which is authorized to issue permits to large-scale mining operations like in Homonhon,” he said in a statement on Tuesday, June 27.
Just recently, reports on social media claimed that the governor approved a permit to an unnamed company to conduct mining operations in Homonhon, a historic island where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and the Spanish soldiers landed in 1521.
While he is against mining, Evardone stressed he still prefers “responsible mining” which “strictly observes all mining, environmental and social protection laws.”
“If these companies cannot comply with all of these, DENR should stop their operations,” Evardone said.
He revealed that the mining companies that are operating in Homonhon are not paying taxes to the provincial government, are not transparent, and are not providing any form of protection to the people and the environment.
Earlier, priests in the province, led by Bishop Crispin Varquez, expressed their opposition to any mining operations in Homonhon and in Manicani Island, also in Guiuan town which is rich in nickel.
They called on national officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to help them stop mining operations in the province.
At present, there are four mining companies that are operating in Homonhon, namely, Techiron Resources Inc., Emir Mineral Resources Corp., King Resources Mining Corp, and Global Min-met Resources Inc.
Evardone, meanwhile, denied reports that the provincial government has sought a donation from Nickel Asia Resources, a mining company, for a basketball tournament.
The governor said the basketball tournament was not sponsored by the provincial government.
“It’s their tournament. Not a single centavo will go to us. Our only role is to encourage players to play. They will run the tournament from referees, management which will compose of former PBA players,” he said.
“So, there was no donation to us in any amount,” Evardone stressed.
Based on the report, Nickel Asia Resources donated P1 million as the championship prize for the basketball competition.
Nickel Asia Resources, through its subsidiary company Hinatuan Mining Corp, has mining claims in Manicani Island.
In 2011, the DENR canceled its mining permit and ore transport permit due to opposition from Church leaders and residents.
But in March of this year, the DENR allowed the mining company to resume its mining operations in Manicani.
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