The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered a mining company in Davao Oriental to stop its operations following a recent siltation incident caused by a discharge of soil extracts from the mountain mines to the waterways.
This comes as the DENR’s Davao Region office (DENR-XI) handed down a cease and desist order and a notice of violation to Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corporation/Arc Nickel Resources Inc. (ANRI).
The notices stem from the discoloration of the Pintatagan and Maputi Rivers in Banaybanay town. The siltation allegedly caused the fish kill along the said rivers.
“The said incident happened at Mapagba and Pinatatagan Rivers in Banaybanay after heavy rains occurred for more than 12 hours with an accumulated rainfall intensity of 88.1 mm on January 13, 2022, as per PAGASA Tagum Station,” DENR-XI said in a statement on Monday.
“The potential source of siltation and discoloration along said rivers was attributed to the active mining activity of the said company, [based] on the initial investigation and assessment of DENR-XI’s Composite Team from DENR-XI Regional Office, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-XI), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-XI) and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Lupon that was conducted last January 15,” it added.
The company was called on to immediately address the issue, which the DENR is strictly monitoring.
“Our legal team is also evaluating further action with regards to any of the violations and we will assure a strict implementation of the environmental laws. Penalties and fines are also being considered,” said DENR-XI Regional Director Bagani Fidel Evasco.
ANRI operates a nickel laterite mining project in six barangays in Banaybanay. The project has an area of 6,363.3 hectares and was granted a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement in 2016.
