Aquino: Semirara mining site to remain closed until firm assures safety

Semirara mining. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III said on Thursday, the operations of the Semirara Mining Company (SMC) would remain suspended until an assurance from the mining firm of the safety of its site.

Speaking to reporters at the Iloilo provincial capitol, the President said he has not seen the formal report of Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla that was forwarded to his office. The Department of Energy has been tasked to investigate the incident.

“I was asking: what exactly happened (and) why there were workers trapped,” the President said.

The President said the government has also been considering the impact of the suspension of the operations of the mining firm on the country’s energy needs, considering that local power plants have been using the coal produced by SMC.

The President said he would direct the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to further strengthen its monitoring of mining sites and surrounding communities to ensure the its safety.

In an earlier interview, Energy Undersecretary Ramon Allan Oca said only the extraction activities at the mining pit of the SMC have been suspended.

Five workers died and five others remained missing after a portion of the western wall of the Panian open mining pit on Semirara Island in Caluya town in Antique collapsed on Feb. 13.

The President was in Iloilo to lead the groundbreaking ceremony of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project-Stage II (JRMP) at the Iloilo provincial capitol.

He also joined the administrator’s senatorial candidates in campaign sorties in Pavia and Dumangas towns in Iloilo after the groundbreaking ceremony.