MGB: Capitol did not violate mining law
LINGAYEN—The development of the 18-hole golf course is finally expected to resume after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) cleared the provincial government of having committed any irregularity in its construction.
Carlos Tayag, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional director, went further in its clarification pointing out that the extraction and the selling of the black sand in the area does not violate any mining law.
“If the black sand has a commercial value then the provincial government can sell it,” Tayag recently told members of the local media.
Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said the Espino administration is vindicated by the ruling of the MGB now that the provincial government is finally cleared of any legal liability on the controversial black sand extraction.
The construction was suspended early this year after several barangay chairmen in Lingayen filed complaints against the provincial government alleging that the extraction of the black sand constituted a violation of the mining law.
The MGB official concurred with the explanation of the provincial government when the latter said that extraction of the magnetite or black sand was necessary because turf grass in the golf course area would not grow on it.
“It is difficult to develop vegetation so the purpose of the magnetite extraction was just to separate it from the soil,” Tayag explained.
“Since the extracted magnetite sand has no use in the project, there is no legal impediment to sell it to interested buyers assuming anyone is interested to buy it,” he added during the recent forum arranged by his office at the YMCA Building in Dagupan City.
Tayag said his office already recommended that a government gratuitous permit for the sale of the black sand.
The environmental compliance certificate that the provincial government applied for will already cover all aspects of the eco-tourism project. (PIO/Angie D. Villanueva)
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