Mine firm pays P50,000 fine for dirtying lake

TACLOBAN CITY—A mining firm paid P50,000 in fine after it was found to have contaminated Lake Bito in MacArthur, Leyte, which led to two cases of fishkill and brought losses to local fish pen operators.

Nicua Mining Co. turned over a P50,000 check to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), an agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, on June 13, according to Reynaldo Barra, officer in charge of the EMB pollution and control division.

Barra said an investigation made by his office showed that “there was indeed a back flow of waste water coming from them (Nicua) which entered Lake Bito.”

The head of a group of fish pen operators in the lake, however, said his group was dissatisfied with the penalty.

“It was only the EMB which received the fine. What about us fishermen affected by their operations? We are also seeking compensation from them,” said Jesus Cabias, head of the Lake Bito Fisherfolk Association, in a text message.

Mine waste spilled into the bay on May 12 and May 15, leading to two cases of fishkill.

Officials of Nicua “accepted our findings that there was contamination in Lake Bito due to their operations,”  Barra said.

“They did not question the result of our investigation,” he said.

Elmer Ragas, Nicua operations manager, said the firm paid the fine in compliance with Presidential Decree No. 1586 that established the Environment Impact Statement System as part of a government program to reduce industrial pollution, among other things.

“We’re just following an order from EMB,”  Ragas said.