Cimatu orders a stop to all quarry operations in eight regions, relieves MGB-7 officials

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu today ordered a halt to all quarry operations in eight regions of the country and to have their safety assessed.

Cimatu announced the suspension during a press conference in Naga City, Cebu, following a landslide that occurred near a quarry site in Sitio Sindulan, Brgy. Tinaan. 

The regions covered by the suspension order are Ilocos, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, and Caraga. 

“The suspension will be effective until such time that the review and assessment of quarry operations are completed, [including] surrounding communities as far as their safety from the impact of the quarry operations and geohazards is concerned,” Cimatu said. 

Likewise, the DENR chief also ordered a review and assessment of all quarry operations nationwide to determine the safety of their operations and of surrounding communities. 

Earlier, Cimatu announced the creation of a team of technical personnel from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) “to conduct a thorough and independent investigation and check why [the landslide] happened, how it happened, and what we should do.” 

He also announced the relief of four officials of the MGB regional office in Cebu, namely, Director Loreto Alburo, Chief Administrative and Finance Officer Atty. Jerry Mahusay, chief geologist Al Emil Berador, and supervising geologist Dennis Aleta. 

Cimatu said the investigating team would look into the accountability of the four officials regarding the landslide. 

Earlier today, Cimatu has also ordered the Environmental Management Bureau to suspend the Environmental Compliance Certificate of Apo Land and Quarry Corporation. 

The environment chief called for immediate evacuation of remaining residents in the area, proposing that they be relocated in an area at least a kilometer away from the danger zone. 

He described the site as “volatile”, which could lead to further soil slippage. ###

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Cimatu warns against keeping wild animals as pets

Keeping wild animals as pets is illegal and could land one in jail.

 Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu issued this reminder following the rescue of a pangolin, also known as scaly anteater, at a posh subdivision in Muntinlupa City recently. 

“Collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife species, both flora and fauna, without a valid permit from the government is illegal,” Cimatu said. 

“Wild animals, including pangolins, are protected by the government and our laws, and it is unlawful to keep them as pets,” he added. 

Pangolins, especially those endemic to Palawan province, are critically endangered and protected under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act. 

Under the law, mere possession of a wild animal, particularly one considered “criticially endangered,” is punishable by maximum jail term of four years and a fine of up to P450,000. 

Last Sept. 4, the enforcement team of Task Force POGI (Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade) rushed to Alabang Village to validate a report that one of its residents was allegedly in possession of a pangolin. 

At the time, the pangolin was already in the custody of the barangay hall after it was turned over by a resident who found the animal outside the house of a Chinese national named Xiao Ming. 

The Task Force POGI enforcement team—together with barangay officials, security guards and crew of GMA 7 program “Born to be Wild”—went to Ming’s residence on the same day to conduct an inspection. During the conduct of the search, neither trace nor remnant of pangolin evidence of animal keeping such as cage was found.  

When interviewed by the team, Ming—through his driver and interpreter—said that in the morning of the same day, they discovered the pangolin at the ceiling of his house. He said his driver tried to catch the pangolin with a plastic basket, but it managed to escape. 

Initial examination revealed that the pangolin, which Alabang village officials and residents named as “Panggoy,” was “healthy with some external parasites (ticks) noted in between its scales.” 

Panggoy was brought to the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) in Quezon City for further examination and observation.  

BMB Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez said the pangolin has undergone DNA test at the laboratory of the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines- Diliman. The results of said test confirmed that the pangolin is of Palawan origin. With this finding, Rodriguez said Panggoy has been returned to Palawan and released back to its natural habitat in close coordination with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development staff. The release was made earlier today (21 September). 

Task Force POGI is a composite group of personnel from the DENR, including BMB, and officers of law enforcement agencies like the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation organized by the DENR in 2013, as among the measures to curb poaching and illegal trade of wildlife in the country. ###

DENR press releases and other news/feature articles are posted at the DENR website: www.denr.gov.ph. For queries/comments, write: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Gov’t to declare more mineral reservation areas soon—DENR

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has announced that additional mineral reservation areas throughout the country may soon be declared to help provide equitable access to mineral resources and generate additional non-tax revenues for the government.

Undersecretary for Mining Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said the DENR, particularly its Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), is now in the process of identifying “mineralized areas and high mineral potential areas, including all existing operating mines,” for declaration as mineral reservations.

In fact, she said, certain sites have undergone the process prescribed by law and are ready for endorsement to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for declaration as mineral reservations, pursuant to Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act.

“The law provides that when the national interest so requires, such as when there is a need to preserve strategic raw materials for industries critical to national development, or certain minerals for scientific, cultural or ecological value, the President may establish mineral reservations upon the recommendation of the MGB Director through the DENR Secretary,” Teh pointed out.

Teh issued the statement in the wake of news reports regarding an Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) issued by the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office XIII on the alleged failure of the DENR to collect almost P2.6 billion in royalty fees from five mining companies in Caraga region. 

The AOM stated that royalties should have been imposed against the mining companies since they extract mineral resources that are owned by the government.

However, Teh clarified that the present mining law requires payment of royalty fees only in areas declared as mineral reservations. 

“The five mining companies mentioned in the COA report are operating outside the Surigao Mineral Reservation Area.  Thus, the permits granted to them do not contain any provision for them to pay royalty,” Teh explained.

Teh said that all actions of the DENR and MGB on the matter were “in accordance and consistent with existing laws and regulations.”

To address the concerns of the COA and the government in general, to generate more revenues from the mining industry, Teh said the DENR is looking at the declaration of more mineral reservations to include sites where the five mining companies operate, as a solution.

The DENR, she added, also proposed to the Department of Finance to include the imposition of royalty fees on mining firms operating outside mineral reservations in the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN law.

“Should an amendatory law be passed, the imposition of royalties on mining operations outside mineral reservations will be applied prospectively,” Teh said. ##

DENR press releases and other news/feature articles are posted at the DENR website: www.denr.gov.ph. For queries/comments, write: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.