Taiwan firm sued for illegal mining

DAGUPAN CITY—The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Ilocos has filed a complaint against a Taiwan-based mining company for illegal extraction of black sand in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur, last month.

While the Wellresource Mining Co. stopped operations in Caoayan after the complaint was filed, it transferred operations to the village of San Sebastian in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur, said Carlos Tayag, MGB director in the Ilocos.

He said MGB filed a complaint in the provincial prosecutor’s office against Wellresource Mining for illegal extraction and theft of mineral and violation of Batas Pambansa (BP) No. 265, which prohibits the extraction of gravel and sand from local beaches, for its operations in Barangay Caparacadan in Caoayan.

He said the agency has also issued a cease and desist order against the firm for its operations in San Vicente.

In Caoayan, Tayag said Wellresource Mining extracted black sand offshore, or 200 meters from the shoreline, while in San Vicente, it was mining black sand onshore or 500 m from the shoreline toward the sea.

“In both areas, the company’s operations are illegal, according to BP 265,” he said.

He said local governments, not the MGB, issued permits to the company.

Earlier, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño asked top officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to suspend Tayag, who, he said, facilitated the illegal extraction of black sand in coastal villages of Ilocos Sur.

But Tayag said the MGB had done its part in stopping the illegal operations. “We are doing our mandate … [But] the power of local governments to issue permits is sometimes abused,” he said.

“We should not let foreigners get this finite resource so we can use it for our country’s needs. We also need a clear pro-people mining law,” said Casiño, sponsor of an alternative mining bill. Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon