Central Visayas Mines and Geosciences Bureau Chief Efren Carido said that the suspension order issued by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia will not apply to large quarry operators. /CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Visayas (MGB-7) has deputized local government units and police and maritime authorities to intensify the implementation of mining laws in Central Visayas.
This was made after Governor Gwendolyn Garcia ordered the suspension of all province-issued quarry permits.
MGB-7 Regional Director Efren Carido said they needed the help of LGUs and law enforcement agencies to curb illegal mineral extraction in the region.
“The Mines and Geosciences Bureau – 7 cannot do this alone. We need the active coordination with and cooperation of the local government units and all enforcement agencies to curb illegal mining activities in the region,” Carido said in a statement published on Wednesday July 24.
On Tuesday, July 23, MGB-7 held a training for personnel from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO), Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Cebu (PENRO Cebu), Community Environment and Natural Resources Office – Argao (CENRO-Argao), Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs and the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) on the enforcement of the mining laws.
“The training is very important to raise awareness among law enforcers about the mining laws, the various types of permits issued by DENR-MGB, as well as the local government unit’s devolved MGB function,” Carido said.
Carido said they deputized LGU employees and law enforcers to “apprehend and/or confiscate illegally-sourced minerals, mineral products, by-products, tools and equipment including conveyances used in the commission of an offense.”
The deputization and training of additional mining law enforcers is timely with the directive of Governor Garcia to suspend all province-issued quarry permits and the implement a moratorium on the processing of applications for the issuance of new permits.
However, Carido clarified that Garcia’s suspension order only covers small scale quarry operations made in quarry sites that are less than five hectares big and with permits issued by PENRO.
Carido issued the clarification following reports that even MGB permittees were apprehended using the governor’s suspension order as basis.
This is also the reason why they are closely coordinating especially with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in order to correct the “irregular apprehensions.”
“We will coordinate with (the) DENR-7 Enforcement Team and dispatch our MGB-7 embedded and technical personnel in support to the PNP activities,” Carido said.
He also advised all MGB permit holders to ensure that the required transport documents for the delivery of minerals/ mineral products such as the Delivery Receipts (DR) and Ore Transport Permits (OTP) are duly filled-up and in order to avoid apprehensions.
Carido is also reminding all accredited mineral dealers and traders to only source their supplies from MGB permit holders until the Capitol lifts the suspension order for the LGU-issued permit holders. /dcb