Zambales gov urged to stop illegal mining, ‘terror’ drive

LEGITIMATE mining firms in Zambales have urged Gov. Amor Deloso to step up campaign to stop illegal small scale miners and their alleged protector from their illegal activities.

This urgent call came following reports that illegal mining’s are not only taking their toll on the environment, but are ‘sowing terror” in the community with the full-blacking of influential officials.

In particular, the sources cried harassment against Bueno Coady International Trading Corp. (BCITC), an alleged illegal-mining company in Santa Cruz town.

Despite the cease-and-desist order issued on June 10, by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 3, BCITC continues to operate.

Documents showed that BCITC was ordered to cease operation for lack of mining permit and for illegally extracting on two sites within the Mineral Processing Sharing Agreement area of Zambales Chromite Mining Corp, Inc.

Instead of following the order BCITC is citing the full backing of influential officials in the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board in Zambales.

A number of goons and armed security men were also reportedly deployed in the extraction site, causing tension among legitimate mining firms.

Earlier, a security guard named Efren Agayan of JBFI Security was killed when a Molotov bomb allegedly thrown by un identified motorcycle-riding men in the mining site exploded.

Fearing for worse things to happen, Zambales Chromite thus appealed to Governor Deloso to use the “full force of the law” to stop violence and crackdown the illegal activities of small-scale illegal miners, including their protectors.

In June illegal miners were also blamed for the “reddening” of Zambales coast, endangering the environment and marine life in the area.

The “discoloration” was believed to have been caused by a run-off of the unprotected stockpile from an illegal port facility.