THE DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) is ramping up its efforts to combat illegal mining in the city.
“I have listed all the quarry sites here in Davao City, and we intend to visit them,” said Col. Hansel Marantan, acting director of the DCPO, in a recent interview. “If we find any violations, it will lead to the closure of those quarry sites.”
This intensified focus follows a raid on a large-scale illegal mining operation in Purok 5, Lacson, Calinan district, on Feb. 10. Col. Marantan led the operation, which included other units of the DCPO. Upon arrival, officers discovered the quarry in operation and confirmed it lacked the necessary permits.
Three pieces of heavy equipment—an excavator, a payloader, and five dump trucks—were also discovered at the site. The operation was initiated after the DCPO was contacted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) national office, following a report received by CIDG director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
Eight workers were apprehended during the raid. Marantan stated that the quarry operation was run by individuals known only as Eduardo and Dana, who were unable to produce any legal documentation.
The confiscated heavy equipment has been turned over to the city mining regulatory board and the city environment and natural resources office for verification. Police are also investigating the extent of the environmental damage caused by the illegal operation, which will be used to determine violations of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
This operation is part of Oplan Kalikasan, the police’s environmental protection plan. The DCPO has issued a warning to all quarry operators in Davao City, reminding them to ensure they have the proper legal documents to operate.
