Residents oppose alleged resumption of nickel mining in Eastern Samar

Residents of a small island in Eastern Samar are opposing what they claimed as attempts to resume the nickel operations of Hinatuan Mining Corp. despite a standing suspension order from the government. 

 

A barge carrying bulldozers supposedly arrived at the miner's port off the Manicani island in Leyte Gulf on June 20, members of the Save Manicani Movement (SAMAMO) and the Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. said Tuesday.

 

A 15-minute footage shown by the groups shows a number of residents aboard fishing boats surrounding the barge so as to prevent the bulldozers from being unloaded and to clarify the purposed of the shipment. 

 

The residents feared that the miner would resume operations, according to SAMAMO and PMPI.

 

Hinatuan Mining was expected to use the bulldozers to transport the stockpile of nickel from the island, Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, legal counsel for SAMAMO, claimed.

 

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended the mining operations since 2011 on grounds that the operations pose environmental hazards, Pedrosa said.

 

In July 2014, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) issued Hinatuan Mining the authority to dispose the remaining nickel ore stockpile of parent company Nickel Asia Corp., Pedrosa claimed.

 

SAMAMO and PMPI are opposing the removal of the stockpiles until the hazards of transporting the nickel ore have been assessed.

 

The groups are now seeking a dialogue with the DENR and MGB to clarify what they are claiming as the resumption of mining operations at Manicani. – VS, GMA News