SURIGAO DEL NORTE — Authorities arrested 18 individuals, including eight Chinese nationals, and confiscated equipment, vehicles, and mining gear valued at approximately ₱153.34 million during a joint anti-illegal mining operation in Barangay Mabini, Surigao del Norte, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported.
The raid was carried out on October 14 following intensive monitoring and reports of unauthorized extraction activities in the area. The suspects are currently facing inquest proceedings before the Surigao City Prosecutor’s Office for potential violations of Section 102 (Illegal Exploration) and Section 103 (Theft of Minerals) under Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
The operation was spearheaded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Intelligence Division, alongside the Philippine Air Force, local law enforcement units, and specialized personnel from the DENR’s Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Service (ELEPS), DENR Region 13, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 13.
“We will not tolerate illegal mining operations that disregard environmental safeguards, and put our natural resources at risk,” Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said in a statement.
“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold violators accountable and ensure that mining activities are conducted legally and responsibly,” he went on.
Authorities seized heavy machinery including eight dump trucks, five payloaders, 16 truck excavators, eight generator sets, four improved sluice machines, and a Toyota Hilux pickup truck.
Officers also recovered operational assets such as sluice mats, compressors, panel boards, batteries, drums of oil and diesel fuel, assorted documents belonging to the Chinese nationals, and firearms consisting of two improvised air guns, a shotgun, and 12 live shotgun rounds.
The estimated ₱153,343,000 valuation excludes an additional 80 kilograms of mineral ore samples recovered from the site. MGB Region 13 has initiated administrative confiscation proceedings for all seized heavy equipment and gear.
According to the agency, regional task forces had clamped down on eight illegal mining sites by August, followed by composite operations targeting 11 illegal placer sites by September.