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A call for Strict and Fair Implementation of Environmental Penalties

A call for Strict and Fair Implementation of Environmental Penalties

The law is the law and nobody is supposed to be above the law. But based on what I heard through the grapevine, DENR is selective and lenient on certain companies who violated our environmental laws. Some companies were spared from fines and penalties just because they are influential companies or personalities.

I am referring to the article published by Ducky Paredes last March 15, 2013. Here is an excerpt of that article:

"The DENR, DOLE and the provincial government under Acting Leyte Gov. Mimiette Bagulaya, have yet to investigate possible labor and environment law violations by EDC that killed 14 workers and injured so many others after two weeks of rains. This is actually not surprising since the EDC facility is at the center of a “red zone” in the 2006 Geohazard Map of the DENR.

(A “red zone” is a high-risk area vulnerable to landslides.)

The workers were hired by JE/A Arradaza Construction, the subcontractor of First Balfour for civil works in the EDC geothermal complex. EDC and its general contractor, First Balfour."


Excerpt of Janette Toral's article from http://www.influentialblogger.net/2013/03/edc-philex-semirara-fairness-and.html 

"The perceived slow response from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (who just finished its investigation) or Pollution Adjudication Board makes me wonder how come the landslide that happened in a coal mining pit on Semirara Island immediately benefited action from the Department of Energy, on orders of President Benigno Aquino III for an immediate suspension of Semirara Coal and Mining Company."

What the heck is happening right now? Do some companies get special treatment? If this is true, then we can definitely say that our government lacks the political will to implement fair mining penalties and impose sanctions on companies that violatenvironmental laws whether intentionally or through negligence.  As in "may tinitingnan at may tinititigan ba talaga sila?" That is so sad if it is true.
In my own humble opinion, the government should be fair in adopting adequate measures to safeguard and conserve land, mineral, marine and forest resources. It should not be a slap on the wrist to some and heavy blow to others.The penalties meted out by the courts for those caught violating the mining laws in the past are stiff. And I commend the DENR and the courts for that. Didn’t the DENR order the Philex Mining be shut down for almost a year because of the accidental tailings pond leak in Padcal, Benguet?

And wasn’t Philex fined over P1 billion by the DENR?


What is lamentable is the veritable slap on the wrist penalties meted by the government on some companies. These provide absolutely no form of deterrence to future environment destruction.

The government must remember that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

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17 Comments

  1. i totally agree with what you said.We really do need to heed the call for Strict and Fair Implementation of Mining Penalties

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  2. Selective justice.. corruption.. what else? Only in the Philippines. :(

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  3. Philippines is rich in resources, but people here are near sighted.

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  4. With so many unwanted accidents,not only here but international as well, i think it's about time to do it.

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  5. We cant just do such irresponsible act, and expect otherwise

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  6. This is a sad truth - our forests are disappearing and all our government cares about is milking the people, while the media hypnotizes the masses with the disgustingly sordid love life of the president's sister.

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  7. Well, let's see: EDC is Lopez-owned, and Gina Lopez is a Lopez family member. Is there any wonder she has stayed silent? She made SO much noise about "possible contamination" of the river in the Philex accident (which turned out to be non-toxic), but has said nothing about BORON going into a river used for farm irrigation. Hypocrite!

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  8. How many times per week does Gina Lopez cry and wail against mining companies (especially Philex Mining)? And what has she said about this disaster? Nothing. Not a thing. I guess blood is thicker than conscience.

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  9. "No2mininginpalawan" should be changed to "No2mininginpalawanbutOK4boroninrivers"

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  10. How can 14 lives be extinguished without any reaction from the government?

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  11. I would like to get off Gina Lopez bogus petition. Is that possible?

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  12. OMG Check this out!

    http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/12781-lopez-foundation-rips-off-gov%E2%80%99t-in-la-mesa-deal%E2%80%94audit

    In a nutshell, it says that the ABS-CBN Foundation (WHICH GINA LOPEZ RUNS) "appropriated the La Mesa Ecopark operations as its own, denying the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) its share in a 2001 concession signed between both and the local government of Quezon City." So there you have it. Turning a blind eye to the EDC disaster was an indicator of even blacker deeds. Now she's using an Ecopark to rip off the government. Since when did environmentalism get so dirty?

    (this comment cross-posted to several other blogs on the same topic)

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  13. Gina Lopez was shown to be a hypocrite over the EDC disaster, but stealing La Mesa Ecopark revenue from the government is a new low even for her.

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  14. How much do you want to bet that ABS-CBN isn't going to cover this? Bwahahahaha.

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  15. shame on you greedy lopez.

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  16. Ayaw ko ng maging Kapamilya. Lipat na ako sa Kapuso network. Serbisyong totoo pa

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  17. The issue is falling on deaf ears. DENR should be the main government body to do something about this

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