Oriental Mindoro provincial board has dramatically repealed a controversial law allowing the extraction of massive volcanic boulders after mounting public pressure and fears the legislation could be hijacked by mining firms.

In a stunning reversal of events that has sent shockwaves through Oriental Mindoro, the provincial board unanimously voted to scrap the two-year-old ordinance during last Monday’s session – with one of its original champions leading the charge to kill his own law.

Board Member Atty. Roland Hernandez Ruga, who helped craft the legislation, delivered an emotional privilege speech calling for its immediate repeal, admitting he feared the law could be “used by those with no intention other than to exploit our natural resources.”

“Laws are not monuments. They must reflect the present. They must adapt to truth. And they must resonate with the people,” Ruga declared in his dramatic address to fellow lawmakers.

The now-defunct Provincial Ordinance No. 145-22 was originally designed to allow the extraction of boulder-sized volcanic rocks – dubbed “armor rocks” – from areas prone to dangerous rockslides.

Supporters claimed it would clear agricultural lands and support stalled infrastructure projects.

But the measure immediately sparked fierce opposition in a province with a militant anti-mining history.

Oriental Mindoro has fought bitter battles against large-scale mining operations for decades, instilling what Ruga called “a deeply-rooted resistance to anything that even resembles extraction.”

Environmental groups and church leaders organized a major forum last Friday that served as the final straw, with Ruga admitting the event was “more than just an event – it was a mirror” that forced lawmakers to confront public anger.

In a damning indictment of the ordinance’s effectiveness, Ruga revealed that despite being on the books for over two years, “not a single armor rock had been extracted, and no related project had been implemented.”

“There is no actual implementation, no proponent, no project,” he said in Tagalog, exposing the law as essentially dead-letter legislation.

The admission provoked serious questions about why the controversial measure was kept alive when it served no practical purpose while continuing to divide public opinion.

Ruga’s most explosive revelation came when he confessed his growing terror that mining companies could eventually exploit the ordinance for their own gain.

“Even though there are safeguards, even though there are only three limitations based on the ordinance, even though no extraction has happened until now, I know in my heart that this ordinance could be used someday as permission by people with no intention but to take advantage of our nature,” he said.

The lawmaker admitted he would be powerless to prevent such abuse once he leaves office, stating: “And I cannot watch over this when I am no longer in position.”

Vice Governor Antonio “Jojo” Perez, who presides over the provincial board, confirmed the repeal was part of his campaign promises to protect natural resources.

“The revocation of the armor rock ordinance and the resolution opposing sand mining or dredging are just part of the commitment of the [provincial board] to our people for the protection of our environment,” Perez said.

But the reversal creates potential political embarrassment, with Ruga acknowledging that the provincial governor had originally supported the measure.

“Our governor (Bonz Dolor) supported this ordinance. I supported it. And I continue to support the broader goals of this administration for progress and sustainability,” Ruga insisted, claiming his dramatic u-turn was “not a political statement” and “not a change of allegiance.”

The repeal comes as similar anti-mining laws face legal roadblocks, with Ruga warning that the Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down Occidental Mindoro’s mining moratorium puts “similar policies like ours at risk.”

“Today, we face not just moral pressure, but legal urgency,” he declared, suggesting the province acted preemptively to avoid a potential court defeat.

Fellow board member praised Ruga’s dramatic reversal, recalling a previous conversation where Ruga had promised swift action if the law was abused.

The lawmaker added: “It is very difficult to guard if you do not have the authority to guard.”