Candoni Mayor Ray Ruiz has issued a final notice to Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) to immediately cease all earth-moving and related activities in its palm oil plantation operations in the town.
This, as HAPI has been criticized for causing widespread environmental degradation, severe soil erosion, and failing to implement mitigation measures in its operations, Ruiz said.
The notice, dated June 12, was sent to HAPI chief executive officer Alfred Joseph Araneta and the company’s board of directors following repeated violations of environmental laws and local agreements.
“You have betrayed the confidence that was once extended in good faith. I urge you before irreversible consequences follow to make amends, comply and restore accountability to your name,” Ruiz said in his notice.
He directed HAPI to submit the required environmental documents and plans to both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the municipal government within 15 calendar days.
Failure to comply will prompt legal actions, including environmental cases, revocation of clearances and possible suspension or cancellation of HAPI’s Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA).
HAPI operates approximately 6,652 hectares of land in Barangays Gatuslao and Agboy under an IFMA.
Earlier, the provincial government, through Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, had also requested the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to issue a cease and desist order against HAPI for operating without an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), a mandatory requirement under Philippine law.
In a letter to Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Lacson highlighted the failure of HAPI to secure an ECC despite prior commitments and directives from multipartite monitoring teams.
The governor expressed concern over HAPI’s continued quarrying and earth-moving activities without the required ECC, which poses potential harm to the environment.
“Protecting biodiversity and indigenous land in Candoni is crucial not only for the well-being of the local ecosystem but also for the preservation of the cultural heritage and the livelihood of indigenous peoples who have cared for these lands for generations. The ongoing palm oil project threatens to destroy critical forest areas, pollute water systems, displace farming communities, and exhibit blatant disregard of the law,” Lacson said.
HAPI’s operations sparked protests last week from local communities and civil society groups, who raised concerns about environmental harm and the displacement of indigenous peoples and farmers.
About 1,000 families face possible eviction due to the plantation expansion, and groups like Negrosanon Initiatives on Climate in the Environment (NICE) have petitioned to halt the company’s operations, citing violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and environmental laws.
NICE and other stakeholders have also raised concerns about potential ecological damage, including water source contamination, riverbank erosion and the use of harmful chemicals./JB, WDJ