The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered a temporary halt to a mining company's operations in Romblon's Sibuyan Island due to several alleged violations, Bernadette Reyes reported Sunday on "24 Oras Weekend."
The DENR alleged that APMC did not have a foreshore lease agreement for a pier, had built a causeway without securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate, and had cut down trees without a permit."Nakapag release naman ang DENR ng order na... at nakapagpaskil na ipatigil muna ang operation ng Altai dito. Dahil sa napakaraming biyolasyon," said Elizabeth Ibanez of Sibuyanon Against Mining.
"Based on the reports, there were a few incidents involving our employees, law enforcement personnel, and protesters who were purportedly hurt when tensions got out of hand at the site," said the company. APMC added that their operations in Sibuyan began many years before they even set up camp on-site: undertaking comprehensive environmental and socio-economic studies and outcome analyses, consulting with official regulators and agencies, and engaging the surrounding communities, to ensure that their operations would be safe, legitimate, and with minimal environmental effects.