Phils diocese in new call for open-pit ban

Published Date: June 30, 2009

Phils diocese in new call for open-pit ban thumbnail

Philippines Diocese of Marbel has called for a prohibition on open-pit mining and urged foreign-backed miner Sagittarius Mines, Inc. to be transparent in its community dealings.

Marbel social action director, Fr Romeo Q. Catedral, called on the South Cotabato Sangguniang Panlalawigan to finally enact the environment code that prohibits open-pit mining in the area, Business World reports.

“We appeal to the people in the affected communities to give us feedback. The local Catholic Church does not know what process the company is in now,” he told BusinessWorld.

Fr Catedral said the people should exact transparency from Sagittarius, telling the affected communities that what it is doing is under the feasibility study or part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA).

Last week, Sagittarius, majority-owned by Swiss mining giant Xstrata Copper with Australian Indophil Resources NL as junior partner, announced its commitment to push through with the project with a feasibility study worth $74 million.

Filipino conglomerate Alsons Corp. holds a 3.27% stake in the project. But Sagittarius did not say in its announcement when the feasibility study would start.

John B. Arnaldo, Sagittarius corporate communications manager, did not return a call when sought for clarification but Gavan Collery, Indophil corporate affairs manager, said by e-mail that the feasibility study and the EIA processes “are both under way.”

The Catholic Church, however, lacks information on what’s actually happening in the ground, with Fr Catedral stressing that Sagittarius “has never considered the Roman religious sector as a stakeholder due to its consistent opposition to the Tampakan copper-gold project”, Business World says.

In its announcement to go ahead with the feasibility study, Sagittarius said it has conducted a thorough review of the results of all work programs associated with the extended pre-feasibility study.

SOURCE

Sagittarius Mines urged to be transparent in its dealings

LINKS

Sagittarius Mines

Indophil (Tampakan Project)

Xstrata

Diocese of Marbel (Catholic Hierarchy)

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