The mayor of Opol, Misamis Oriental, denied reports on Thursday that illegal mining activities were taking place in the town’s hinterland barangay of Nangcaon, contrary to the earlier claim of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In a statement, Mayor Jay Bago clarified that the reported raid happened along the Iponan River — located on the boundary of Cagayan de Oro City — and said no resident or barangay official from Opol was arrested during the operation.

He said the local government unit is working closely with Task Force Kalikasan and has been monitoring illegal mining activities in the Iponan River.

The mayor said that the arrested suspects were not residents of Opol town

The DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) earlier reported a large-scale illegal mining operation allegedly linked to a sitting barangay official. The raid resulted in the arrest of one individual and the seizure of several pieces of heavy equipment, raising concerns about public trust and accountability.

The operation was carried out by MGB Region X, Environmental Management Bureau Region 10, National Bureau of Investigation–North Eastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-NEMRO), and the 2nd Special Forces Company under the 1st SF Battalion, 403rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.

Authorities arrested an operator of a hydraulic excavator during the unauthorized extraction of sand, gravel, and other fluvial materials from the Iponan River system. Intelligence reports point to a current barangay official as the alleged operator behind the illegal activity.

Seized at the site were three hydraulic excavators, ten water pumps, multiple hoses, sluice mats and boxes, a wooden pan, and a sack containing receipts and transaction logs allegedly linked to the sale of extracted minerals.

Drone footage and ground verification revealed a 4.88-hectare disturbed area with excavation depths averaging three meters — evidence of the large-scale, ongoing nature of the operation, and the resulting environmental degradation of the river system.

The suspect faces criminal charges for theft of minerals under Section 103 of Republic Act No. 7942, as well as for violating the Water Code of the Philippines. Investigations are ongoing to determine the accountability of other individuals involved, particularly public officials.

Mayor Bago, meanwhile, lamented that previous suspects in similar cases were able to post bail due to the offenses being bailable under current laws.