THE government, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, has formed a team together with scientists from the state-run University of the Philippines to look into the alleged environmental destruction and other violations purportedly committed by a mining firm in Agusan del Norte linked to Caloocan City Vice Mayor Edgar Erice.

MGB director Leo Jasareno said a “multi-disciplinary team” will be sent to Tubay, Agusan del Norte, where the SR Metals Inc. is based, to conduct “an in-depth investigation” of its mining operations which have  been the subject of complaints by local executives and town residents.

Tubay Mayor Sadeka Garcia Tomaneng was among the first to cry harassment against Erice when the Caloocan official filed a complaint against her before the Office of the Ombudsman over her relentless campaign against mining operations in her hometown.

Tomaneng said she has already asked the help of President Benigno Aquino and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on the matter, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Erice is a partymate of President  Aquino at the Liberal Party and a member of its national executive committee.

Earlier, Jasareno conducted an aerial survey of the area and found indications that SRMI may have committed several violations that could endanger the ecosystem. He said UP scientists were invited to the probe to erase doubts on the result of the investigation.

“That is why we decided to include the members of the academe to prevent any fear of whitewash, and we believe that the team will be able to come up with a credible result,” Jasareno said.

Environmentalists have expressed doubts that the MGB would investigate and sanction SRMI and the three other giant mining firms in Surigao del Norte --  Taganito Mining Corp., Platinum Group Metals Corp. and Claver Mining Corp.

Upon learning of the scheduled arrival of the multi-disciplinary team, Tomaneng thanked Jasareno even as she called on the media to help them pursue their cause.

The local government of Tubay has also been asking SRMI to pay P100 million in taxes but the firm allegedly refused to comply despite earning P4 billion.

Asked for comment, Erice said he welcomes the probe “to settle the issue once and for all.”He said  he even invited Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to also conduct a separate investigation.

Erice also clarified that, to date, he is just a “minority shareholder” of SMRI, having relinquished all his official posts in the company back in 2007.

“It is incorrect for some quarters to continue to claim that I am SMRI’s chairman of the board,” he said.