Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has called on mayors to help crackdown illegal quarry operations in the province. CDND FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has sought the cooperation of the local chief executives and police officials in her move to crackdown illegal quarry operations in the province.
In her meeting with the town mayors on Wednesday afternoon, July 3, Garcia informed them of the memorandum that suspends all quarry permits issued by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) pending the review of their operations.
Garcia also ordered for the stoppage in the processing of the applications for quarry permits.
Garcia said illegal quarry operations have been a problem raised by local government units, particularly barangays, because of the danger that excessive hauling of sand, gravel, and limestones posted in the communities.
On Wednesday morning, July 3, officials from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) led by Brigadier General Debold Sinas paid a courtesy call in Garcia’s office and committed to cooperate in the peace and order programs of the governor, as well as the crackdown of illegal quarry activities.
Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), said he already instructed the local police stations to conduct checkpoints and monitor the quarry sites within their jurisdiction.
On Tuesday afternoon, July 2, the police in the town of Asturias nabbed nine men who were caught in the act of extracting sand and gravel from the river in Barangay Kaluangan.
Mariano said the suspects are now detained at the Asturias Police Station pending the filing of charges against them. / celr