Catanduanes Forum

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Manila Times

No mining operations in Catanduanes – Enrile

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Tuesday that Church leaders opposing the award of coal mining rights in Catanduanes “without consultations” were probably unaware that there are no such ongoing operations.
“The project was abandoned about a year ago because they found it uneconomical, unprofitable,” he said, referring to the Monte Oro Resources and Energy Inc.’s coal project.
Enrile said he checked with industrialist Enrique Razon Jr. after reading in the papers the Church’s objections to the coal mining project. Razon was identified in the report as a stockholder of the corporation and a very close associate of President Gloria Arroyo.
“He said that they explored in 2005 to determine the reserves, and how long they can develop and exploit it. They abandoned it because they found it unprofitable,” he said.
He explained that Razon was like a son to him so he called him up to check the reports.
“I kidded him that if he wants to mine, he should go to my province [Cagayan]. There is a lot of coal there,” Enrile said.
He said that members of the Church opposing the mining operations don’t know the facts or the mining law.
“You apply for a mining claim, then you conduct exploration work to determine the reserves. If you find enough reserve to last 100 years, maybe you can get enough to sell and recover your investment because when you start exploration, there is already money,” he explained, adding that Monte Oro did not go beyond the exploration stage.
He also pointed out that the cost of coal is down at present
At the Senate, Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal had filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the reported award of coal mining operations to Monte Oro.
Enrile said the Senate inquiry would merely determine if Monte Oro applied properly or conducted the necessary exploration procedures.
“Mining in this country is governed by law. If you comply with the law, there’s nothing wrong about it as long as you do not degrade the environment,” he stressed.
--Efren L. Danao