1,600 sacks of ‘illegal’ mineral ores seized in Dipolog port

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Authorities seized nearly 1,600 sacks of mineral ores sourced from alleged illegal mining activities at a declared “minahang bayan” (people’s small-scale mining area) in Zamboanga del Sur on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Three wing van trucks loaded with mineral ores were intercepted Thursday evening at the Dipolog City Port, Zamboanga del Norte, as the vehicles were bound for Cebu City in the Visayas. The trucks were impounded and opened on Saturday after negotiations with the shipper.

Engr. Grant Rey Prenala of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Zamboanga Peninsula (MGB-9) and Jeffrey Taaral of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO) led the operation.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Alleged illegal copper ores worth P600,000 seized in Agusan Norte

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Authorities initially planned to secure a search warrant from the court after the cargo owner refused to open the trucks. After negotiations, the owner agreed and sent a representative, Jeff Fernandez of Pagadian City, to witness the procedure.

They found the first wing van loaded with 542 sacks of mineral ores, 515 on the second and 524 on the third. The three wing vans were issued with seizure receipts.

Authorities said the first two vehicles are owned by Yorskie Trucking Services and the third by Yuni Transportation, Inc.

Fernandez said one of the cargo owners from Barangay Balangasan, Pagadian City, purchased the mineral ores from small-scale miners.

Article continues after this advertisement

He admitted the shipment lacked the required ore transport permit (OTP) during transit from a declared Minahang Bayan in Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur—contradicting the truck drivers’ earlier claims that the cargo came from Molave town.

However, Richard Ligan, a PENRO-Zamboanga del Sur officer, clarified that no small-scale mining site in the province is currently authorized to operate.

Article continues after this advertisement

He said the Minahang Bayan approved in the towns of Dumingag and Mahayag are not yet authorized to operate because they have not secured the necessary permits.

READ: 3 mineral ore shipments intercepted in Zamboanga del Sur

The trucks were brought to the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) and will be turned over to the MGB-9 for appropriate action.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Aside from MGB-9 and PENRO, the operating teams also include the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Environmental Management Bureau, Maritime Police, and Philippine Coast Guard./coa