BEN SERRANO
Contributing editor
ROSARIO, AGUSAN DEL SUR—Rosario Municipal Health Office personnel headed by Dr. Rebecca Aquino claimed gold ore processing plants in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Rosario, Agusan del Sur really posed grave danger to health to undetermined number of residents living near it including plants and animals.
They claimed their office have been hearing complaints from some villagers in Barangay Sta. Cruz about the alleged foul, acidic odor coming from the gold processing plants while some have already complained of itchy hands and foot from waters of Tag-anawan Creek.
Allegedly waters from Tag-anawan creek was already contaminated by toxic wastes from cyanide and mercury chemicals used in processing gold by said ore processing plants that now towers.
A 50-foot towering gold ore processing plants with 300 tons gold ore capacity is now being constructed in the area and is scheduled to be operational by January next year.
The gold processing plant which is considered to be the biggest is allegedly owned by businessman Jose T. Cuyos who is reportedly running for Mayor in this town on 2010 local elections.
Cuyos already owned two 20 toner gold processing plants situated near the barangay road and near his house in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
Cuyos’ aide, Mrs. Reinilda Iligan who is a government employee working at the Municipal Treasurer’s Office here and Municipal Councilor Alvin Sanchez who is allegedly working as Cuyo’s administrator admitted before mediamen last year that Cuyo’s gold processing plants had no corresponding government permits.
“It is still applying for permits” , says Municipal Councilor Alvin Sanchez who is current Chairman of the Committee on Natural Reources and Environment of this town’s Municipal Council.
But affected Barangay Sta. Cruz residents who complained to newsmen on condition of aninomity for fear of their lives claimed if permits like the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) were being worked out then why there were no single consultations made?
They even wondered why the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Caraga regional office and the Agusan del Sur Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office were not consulting neither inspecting them on their situations desipte of complaints.
Earlier residents living near said plants were complaining of the occurrences of fish kills, plants and animal diseases.
They complained a dozen of their domesticated animals like working Carabaos of which they used in their daily faming activities have already perished.
Some 100 coconut trees near said processing plants which may have absorbed toxic cyanide acid and mercury wastes emitted from said plants have showed yellowish discoloration experiencing low coco fruit harvest for months now with leaves already slowly to dry and fall.
Landowners Sotera Inchoco who is former Barangay Captain and Francis Inchoco claimed at least a dozen of their coconut trees, domesticated animals like goats and carabaos have already died.
They alleged toxic wastes emitted from nearby processing plants some producing foul odor were to be blamed. They suspect toxic wastes were dumped into creeks unknowingly to them.
“I took pictures of plenty of fish floating dead at the Tag-anawan creek and attached the photos with my complaint letter I submitted to the Agusan del Sur Provincial Environment Office at the provincial capitol and to Rosario Municipal Council, until now I haven’t heard of their response”, Francis Inchoco told this writer in an interview in the presence of his wife at their home here December 10 afternoon.
Francis’ aunt, Sotera, 71, widow, who owned a separate eight hectare land just across of Francis’ told this writer in a separate interview she now sometimes suffer itchy feet especially when working barefoot in her land.
She suspected overflowing of contaminated Tag-anawan creek which goes to her land caused the death of at least a dozen of her goats last month who might have drank the contaminated water.