Miners barred from leaving Manila

Miners barred from leaving Manila

MANILA (AFP): Five senior executives of the Philippines'
biggest copper mining firm, including a U.S. citizen and an
Australian, were barred from leaving the country yesterday as the
government prepared criminal charges against them in connection
with a massive mine tailings leak.

Immigration commissioner Leandro Verceles said the hold order
was issued on the request of the environment department which
filed a complaint against Marcopper Mining president John Loney,
an American, its resident manager, Steve Reid, an Australian, and
three Filipino officials of the firm.

The Justice Department on Thursday said the five would be
charged with "reckless imprudence" resulting in damage to
property, and violations of the mining code, pollution laws and
falsification of public documents, which could land them six-year
jail terms if convicted.

The mine tailings pit of Marcopper, 39.9 percent owned by
Canada's Placer Copper Holdings Inc., disgorged millions of tons
of mine waste into the Boac river in the central Philippine
island of Marindugue last month, killing aquatic life.