(Bacolod City News) A Chinese national and eight others suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities in Barangay Bacuñgan, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, were arrested by police on February 26, according to a police report released Saturday.
This operation was part of the intensified "Operation: Kalikasan" law enforcement campaign jointly conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The operation, led by the provincial office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and carried out jointly with the Negros Island Region Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-NIR), led to the seizure of various mining equipment including two excavators, three ten-wheeler dump trucks, a vibrating screener, and an automatic generator control panel, estimated to be worth a total of 17.5 million Philippine pesos.
According to the police report, the Chinese suspect is named “Xiong,” while the other eight are identified as “Bert,” “Joey,” “Chris,” “Rey,” “Leo,” “Randy,” “Dante,” and “Egay.” Two of them are residents of Hinoba-an, while the others hail from Masbate, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Bukidnon, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Davao Oriental.
Hinoba-an Mayor Daph Anthony Reliquias confirmed in a press release that the city government initiated its own investigation after receiving letters of complaint from concerned farmers. After preliminary investigations, the city government referred the case to the provincial environmental management office and coordinated with national regulatory and law enforcement agencies such as the DENR and MGB for a joint inspection and technical assessment.
He stated, “The coordinated operation was conducted strictly in accordance with legal procedures and ultimately carried out by the relevant law enforcement agencies. I firmly oppose illegal mining; any resource extraction without legal permits, in violation of regulatory requirements and environmental protection measures, is unacceptable. The law must be respected.”
The Philippine National Police report stated that those involved did not have valid mining rights, permits, or agreements issued by the DENR, MGB, or any other competent authority.
They will be charged before the National Prosecution Service under Sections 102 (illegal exploration) and 103 (theft of minerals) of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942), in conjunction with Section 3(c) of the Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991 (RA 7076).
The operation, led by the provincial office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and carried out jointly with the Negros Island Region Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-NIR), led to the seizure of various mining equipment including two excavators, three ten-wheeler dump trucks, a vibrating screener, and an automatic generator control panel, estimated to be worth a total of 17.5 million Philippine pesos.
According to the police report, the Chinese suspect is named “Xiong,” while the other eight are identified as “Bert,” “Joey,” “Chris,” “Rey,” “Leo,” “Randy,” “Dante,” and “Egay.” Two of them are residents of Hinoba-an, while the others hail from Masbate, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Bukidnon, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Davao Oriental.
Hinoba-an Mayor Daph Anthony Reliquias confirmed in a press release that the city government initiated its own investigation after receiving letters of complaint from concerned farmers. After preliminary investigations, the city government referred the case to the provincial environmental management office and coordinated with national regulatory and law enforcement agencies such as the DENR and MGB for a joint inspection and technical assessment.
He stated, “The coordinated operation was conducted strictly in accordance with legal procedures and ultimately carried out by the relevant law enforcement agencies. I firmly oppose illegal mining; any resource extraction without legal permits, in violation of regulatory requirements and environmental protection measures, is unacceptable. The law must be respected.”
The Philippine National Police report stated that those involved did not have valid mining rights, permits, or agreements issued by the DENR, MGB, or any other competent authority.
They will be charged before the National Prosecution Service under Sections 102 (illegal exploration) and 103 (theft of minerals) of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942), in conjunction with Section 3(c) of the Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991 (RA 7076).