?Bioremediation case settlement should refer to PSC?

PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) has reiterated that the settlement to the bioremediation project case, currently being investigated by the Attorney General?s Office (AGO) under the criminal law, has to refer to the settlement mechanism under the PSC agreement which is governed by civil law.

The statement came fresh off a recent ruling by the South Jakarta District Court that has granted a preliminary hearing request filed by the four workers of CPI that challenged AGO?s move to detain them in connection to an alleged corruption case involving the bioremediation project.

?We are very disappointed with the AGO?s decision to bring the bioremediation as a criminal case in court. It?s very clear from the District Court?s ruling that there were no findings of evidence of state losses or of criminal acts done by CPI workers. It?s worth noting also that the AGO has failed to object to the District Court?s ruling,? said CPI president Director A. Hamid Batubara in a statement.

?We will continue to cooperate with the AGO. We will use all available resources to ensure that our workers? rights as citizens are protected and we will fully defend our company?s reputation and ensure the company?s rights under the PSC framework, as a binding legal agreement with the Government of Indonesia, are respected and protected.?

CPI has maintained since the start that the bioremediation program is approved and monitored by legally authorized government regulatory bodies. The project has successfully treated enough soil to re-green more than 60 hectares of land, roughly equal to 75 football fields.

It has argued that all costs related to the bioremediation project carried out by PT CPI are not included in the cost recovery and, instead, has been wholly covered by PT CPI, meaning no state money was used for the project.

Editing by Dadan Wijaksana