Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested four foreigners and nine Filipinos involved in illegal mining activities in a remote area in Agusan del Sur.
Police Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz, CIDG director, said they raided the site based on an intelligence report about the involvement of Chinese in illegal gold mining activity in Barangay Bunawan Brooks in Bunawan town.
According to the CIDG intelligence report, the arrested four Chinese were the ones financing the illegal mining of gold in the area.
Accompanied by local environment officials and local police forces, CIDG operatives swooped down on the area and arrested 13 people, including four Chinese.
“They were caught while allegedly engaging in illegal mining activity, particularly extracting gold and other associated minerals without the proper permit and license from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau,” said Macapaz.
Seized were equipment and materials, including gold-bearing sand, basins, sluice machines and boxes, excavators, generator sets, water pumps, hydraulic pumps, fuel, shovels, solar lights, and solar panels.
He said the confiscated items have an estimated amount of P8 million.
Macapaz emphasized that all mineral resources in public and private lands within the territory and exclusive economic zone of the Republic of the Philippines are owned by the State.
The arrested suspects were charged for violating Section 103 (Theft of Minerals) in relation to Section 55 (Minerals Processing Permit) of Republic Act No. 7942 (Philippine Mining Act of 1995) and Section 27 of Republic Act 7076 (People’s Small-scale Mining Act of 1991). (Aaron Recuenco)
