Photo courtesy of PNP
Police arrested seven men and seized more than Php 16 million worth of heavy equipment and materials in an operation against alleged illegal quarrying in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
The operation was conducted along the Binalbagan River on Aug. 25 by the Regional Special Operations Group of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region, Moises Padilla police and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Negros Island Region.
Authorities said the suspects, aged 28 to 45, were allegedly caught extracting, collecting, loading and transporting sand, gravel and rocks from the riverbed using a backhoe and several dump trucks.
Police said the seven failed to present valid permits or other documents authorizing the extraction and transportation of the quarry materials when questioned by authorities.
Seized during the operation were a backhoe, four dump trucks and about 60 cubic meters of sand and gravel. Police valued the trucks at Php 12 million, the backhoe at Php 4 million and the quarry materials at Php 25,000, for a total estimated value of Php 16.025 million.
The suspects were brought to the Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition. The seized equipment and materials were also placed under police custody for inventory and appropriate legal proceedings.
“This operation demonstrates our resolve to enforce the law against activities that unlawfully exploit our natural resources. We will remain firm in holding violators accountable while working with our partner agencies to protect resources that belong to the Filipino people,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
“Ang ating likas na yaman ay dapat pangalagaan at gamitin nang naaayon sa batas. Hindi natin hahayaang maabuso ang mga yamang ito para sa pansariling interes, lalo na kung kapalit nito ang pagkasira ng ating kapaligiran,” the PNP chief added.
