In the town of Rapu-Rapu, Albay, at around 2pm in the afternoon of October 28, 2007, residents reported fish kill in the barangay of Poblacion in Rapu-Rapu Island.
Around the same time in another island, fisherfolks in Catanduanes also reported that “dead bottom-dwelling fish carpeted a stretch of coastline and on the bed of the reef system along the shores of Palnab del Sur. It was also later verified that “the fish kill reached as far as Igang to the West”. Found dead were “assorted species of demersal fish like moray eels, frog fish, stone fish, crabs, grouper, and other coral reef denizens. Provincial agriculturists, in a report to the Governor of Catanduanes, blamed “the cause of fish deaths on sedimentation and siltation caused by heavy rains or obnoxious fishing”.
However, anti-mining groups were quick to blame the mine of Lafayette Philippines, Inc. (Lafayette) as the cause of the fish kill in Rapu-Rapu. The day after the sighting of dead fish on shore, protests and rallies were held at the Poblacion calling for the mine’s immediate closure. Those calling for the closure of the mine accused the company of a tailings spill that poisoned the waters and caused the alleged fish kill. Residents of Pagcolbon refused to catch and eat fish and called on the government for economic assistance.
To prevent an economic crisis triggered by baseless rumors and panic and to reassure the stakeholders of Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP), we will help the authorities shed light on the issue of dead fish found in Poblacion on October 28, 2007.
FACT vs FRAUD:
1. The RRPP is located more than 10 kilometers away from the brgy of Poblacion.
2. There were no fish kill in the five barangays between the mine site and Poblacion.On the day of October 28 2007, live fish were seen at the pier and fishermen near the mine site continued to catch and eat fish. Officials and chairmen of Barangays Binosawan, Pagcolbon, Malobago, Sta. Barbara and Carogcog certified that there were no fish kills in their respective shores on Oct. 28, 2007.
Picture of Malobago Coastline on Oct. 28, 2007; No Fishkill
On November 11, 2007 (Saturday), members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Rapu-Rapu, together with Rapu-Rapu Mayor Dick Galicia made their own investigation into the alleged fish kill in the five barangays by talking to the residents. They ascertained that no fish kill occurred in these areas and that the sighting of dead fish was confined to Brgy. Poblacion.
3. The milling plant was not operating from Oct 27 to Oct 29 for preventive maintenance; hence there was no additional discharge of water from the plant to the tailings pond.
4.There was no spill from the tailings pond as the dam had 10m of free board. The plant’s Lower Tailings Storage Facility (LTSF) had a 10-meter freeboard and could still accommodate 760,000 cubic meters of water. The heavy rains immediately preceding Oct. 28 accounted for only 65,000 cubic meters of water in the storage facility.
5. RRPP's laboratory tests showed that the cyanide level in the waters and sediment near the site were well within the DENR standard. This is supported by DENR tests and subsequent BFAR investigations. As of November 12, 1007, the Center for Ecological Concerns (CEC) in Quezon City where fish samples from the alleged fishkill were sent to by Fr. Andy Baliwas has not released the results of its tests making it premature to blame the mine or anyone as the cause of the dead fish.
6. There were reports that 1 child and 1 adult from Brgy Poblacion died from seafood poisoning. Dr. Vergara of the Rapu-Rapu Municipal Hospital claims that 3 children were brought by Sagip-Isla members to the hospital for claims of vomiting and diarrhea but was discharged after three days in good physical condition. No deaths were recorded at the hospital at the time of the rumors.
OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES OF DEAD FISH IN POBLACION. . .
The Manila Times Internet Edition of Nov. 1, 2007 reported that “Mayor Galicia, in clarifying his accusation [against Vice-Mayor Odis de la Cruz], noted rumors that the fish kill was planned a few days before the barangay elections and allegedly because Lafayette Mines supported their own candidates in the recently held barangay and SK elections, which apparently caught the ire of the vice-mayor.”
BFAR’s report does not rule out the possibility that lack of oxygen caused by sedimentation and siltation from heavy rains and strong currents could have contributed towards the death of fish along the shorelines of Brgy. Pagcolbon. This was the same cause attributed to the fish deaths in Catanduanes.
In November of 2005, Sorsogon residents were made to believe that two spills which occurred in October 2005 caused mercury poisoning of fish found dead in waters of Sorsogon. As a result, the locals refused to catch, buy and eat fish. The 5 coastal towns of Sorsogon suffered severe economic deprivation prompting President Arroyo to declare a state of Calamity and release 10 million pesos. However, independent studies by UPNSRI commissioned by the City of Sorsogon and by NBI requested by the Province of Albay subsequently proved that the whole incident was a hoax. The waters around Sorsogon were found to be free of mercury and fish caught in Sorsogon were declared safe to eat. More importantly, it was established that the Lafayette mine does not use mercury, as they had been claiming all the while.
Company Vice President for Legal Affairs Bayani Agabin believes that the latest “fish kill” is another hoax similar to the one foisted on Sorsogon residents last year. He warns that the company will consider legal options against those who peddle lies.
In the meantime, the company is taking all the necessary steps to cooperate with the authorities and heed the call of Governor Salceda and Mayor Galicia to let science prevail and to wait for the results of the various tests taken by various government and independent bodies before jumping to conclusion and barking at the wrong tree.
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