Unfazed by the looming tension as anti-mining and logging advocates brace to oppose the move, the provincial board pushed through with its decision to approve the conduct of mining operations in the province.
However, in a press conference held after their regular session early this week, the SP members, led by Vice Governor Jesus B. Redaja, explained to the public their reasons for approving the contested mining operations.
"There was no single reason for us not to approve the request (for mining) in this island," said Redaja.
According to Redaja, the request of a certain Serafia Cobarubias to operate a small-scale mining in Daram, Samar — particularly in the villages of Locob-lokob, Iquiran and Casaganay was supported with all necessary documents required by law.
"The province has even accepted the extraction fees paid by Cobarubias," Redaja said, explaining that before they gave their approval, public safety was taken into consideration and consultations were conducted in affected villages were held.
Atty. Rogelio T. Casurao, chairman of the SP Committee on Laws and Legal Matters said members of his committees and the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chaired by Susano Salurio "collectively agreed" to give due course to the application, considering some existing national laws and jurisprudence.
"In view of the dictum of the Supreme Court (SC) which has sustained the legality of mining operations subject to the regulatory powers of the state, there seems to be no legal obstacle since that the documentation required are complete, and is duly supported by barangay resolutions, we (committees members) favorably approved the application," Casurao said.
As this developed, the resolution authorizing Caborubias, a native of Gandara, Samar, to operate a small-scale mining of manganese in three Daram villages subject to the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1121 and 1586, DENR Administrative Order 2003-30 and other existing laws on the matter, was approved.
To recall, these SP members fought intensely against the Bauxite Resources Inc. (BRI) when the latter attempted to conduct mining operations in the towns of San Jorge, Gandara, Matuguinao and San Jose de Buan, all in Samar, early last year.
They even wrote the DENR central office to cancel the permit issued by the DENR regional office attaching the 50-year mining moratorium, Presidential Proclamation 442 declaring the 333, 300 hectares in Samar as Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), and the resolution coming from the Regional Development Council in Eastern Visayas.
"This island town of Daram is not included in the list of towns covered by their ordinance of imposing a 50-year mining moratorium a year ago. In fact, there were no rivers here that can be possibly affected," Salurio stressed.
