Green groups challenge Lafayette, Arroyo administration: Open up mine site for investigation into Rapu-Rapu fish kills

Green watchdog Kalikasan Peoples’ Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) today urged government officials to take action on the recent fish kills reported in Rapu-Rapu island, Albay, near the site of the Arroyo administration’s flagship mining project by Australian-owned firm Lafayette Mining Limited, asserting that Lafayette should open up its mine site for inspection by an independent investigation.

“Our colleagues and partners from Rapu-Rapu strognly suspect that these alarming fish kills have something to do with Lafayette’s continuing operations in the island. If Lafayette has really nothing to hide and is really sincere in getting to the bottom of the fish kill source, it should open up its heavily-guarded mining site and facilities for inspection by an independent probe,” Bautista stressed.

“Lafayette’s denial is almost the same as the statements it issued refusing any accountability for the October 2005 mine spills. However, their claims were proven wrong by the outcome of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-FInding Commission (RRFFC). The record shows that Lafayette is a liar. The burden of proving otherwise is on them,” Bautista said.

Bautista called on Sorsogon-based Senator Francis Escudero and Gov. Joey Salceda to take action on the recent fish kills.

“We call on concerned solons to initiate on a Senate investigation into the repeated reports of fish kills near the Lafayette mine site. We also call on local government officials such as Gov. Salceda to embark on an independent inspection or at the very least, support an independent investigation involving officials from the provincial government, the affected communities, and concerned environmental and fisherfolk groups,” Bautista said.

This recent fish kill has affected more barangays in Rapu-Rapu than the October 31 2005 fish kill that happened during a mine tailings spill by Lafayette, Kalikasan PNE National Coordinator Clemente Bautista said.

The October 31 2005 fish kill, Save Rapu-Rapu Alliance (SARA) Spokesperson Engr. Virgilio Perdigon says, was concentrated in Barangays Pagcolbon and Malobago in Rapu-Rapu island and Prieto Diaz in the adjacent shores of Sorsogon.

This week’s fish kill, however, has affected at least five barangays in Rapu-Rapu, starting from Brgy. Pagcolbon and extending to as far as seven (7) kilometers north, up to the port area of Rapu-Rapu. These include the mining-affected barangays such as Pagcolbon and Malobago as well as adjacent areas such as Santa Barbara, Carubcob, and Poblacion.

Antonio Casitas of Sagip Isla Sagip Kapwa, a community-based grassroots organization calling for the pull-out of Lafayette in Rapu-Rapu island, said that the community would be suffering the most from the ill effects of the fish kill.

“The local officials in Brgy. Poblacion have already issued a warning to residents not to eat any fish or catch them for consumption. This fish kill has negative impacts on the people of Rapu-Rapu, who are reliant on the sea and its bounty for our daily sustenance. We have little else to source food except for local agriculture and marine life, which is slowly being poisoned,” Casitas said.

Mining-affected barangay hit hardest by Lafayette ills

In addition to the fish kill that has hit Barangay Pagcolbon in Rapu-Rapu, Kalikasan PNE’s Bautista also noted that the village has also formally registered complaints related to Lafayette Mining’s presence in the area. These include the absence of tap water for the community, lack of validation of Lafayette’s social development projects, and militarization in the area.

In a letter addressed to Lafayette Phils. Inc. General Manager for Operations Engr. Roger Corpuz and dated 12 September 2007, Rapu-Rapu Sangguniang Bayan Secretary Allan L. Asuncion noted that Manuel A. Belardo, Barangay Chair of Pagcolbon, expressed his “total dissatisfaction [of] the present scenario happening in [Pagcolbon] because of the inhumane system of [Lafayette]“.

Asuncion noted there was already “drought and scarcity or total absence of potable water supply to the residents of Barangay Pagcolbon” and “no proper coordination to the barangay council with regards to the projects of the company being implemented in Pagcolbon”.

In the letter, Asuncion noted that in the 10th Regular Session of the Rapu-Rapu Sangguniang Bayan last September 12, 2007, Belardo also expressed apprehensions on the “militarization or presence of civilians with high powered fire arms and uniformed personnel equipped with high-powered firearms without a name tag or any insignia.”

A copy of the letter was also furnished to the Office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Albay Governor Joey Salceda, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay, the DENR Region 5 office, and the Sta. Florentia Parish in Rapu-Rapu

“Two years after it started operating, Lafayette has failed to fulfill its promises of prosperity, peace, and plenty to the people of Rapu-Rapu,” Bautista said.