CagaYan de Oro City — A joint anti-illegal mining operation in Misamis Oriental has led to the arrest of one individual and exposed a large-scale illegal mining operation believed to be run by an incumbent barangay official.
According to a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the raid was carried out by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Environmental Management Bureau, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Army.
Authorities arrested a hydraulic excavator operator during the unauthorized extraction of sand, gravel and other materials from the Iponan River system.
Intelligence reports indicate that a sitting barangay official is the suspected operator of the illegal activities.
Three hydraulic excavators, 10 water pumps, and various other mining tools were seized at the site.
Police also recovered a sack containing receipts and transaction logs that directly link the operation to the sale of extracted materials.
Drone footage and on-the-ground verification revealed a 4.88-hectare disturbed area with an average excavation depth of three meters, confirming the large scale of the illegal activity and the environmental damage to the river system.
The arrested suspect is facing criminal charges for theft of minerals and for violating the Water Code of the Philippines. Further investigation is underway to hold all responsible parties accountable.