ILLEGAL QUARRY. Personnel from the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Bulacan police confiscate equipment used to excavate expensive volcanic rock at an illegal quarrying site in Brgy. Sapang Putik, San Ildefonso, Bulacan on Wednesday (Feb. 21, 2024). The joint anti-illegal quarrying operation resulted in the arrest of four suspects. (Photo courtesy of BENRO)
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – Four persons were arrested for illegal quarrying of expensive volcanic rock in San Ildefonso town, this province on Wednesday.
In an interview on Thursday, Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Offices (BENRO) head Atty. Julius Victor Degala said personnel from BENRO and the Bulacan police conducted an anti-illegal quarrying operation in Brgy. Sapang Putik that led to the arrest of four suspects.
Arrested were Fernando Patac, 49, from Santa Maria; June Padilla, 45, from Marilao; and Rogie Remetio, 39, and Ginglebert Verde, 46, of San Ildefonso.
Seized from the illegal miners were 150 chisels, five bends, four shovels, three sledgehammers, two digging bars, and one water pump used to excavate volcanic tuff known as "escombro" or "bulik," a high-grade kind of rock mineral commonly used for landscape gardening.
Degala said the suspects will be charged for violation of Section 103 of Republic Act 7942 (Philippine Mining Act); Section 71-A of the Provincial Ordinance C-005 or the Environmental Code of the Province of Bulacan, and Executive Order No. 21 Series of 2022 issued by the governor which mandated the temporary suspension of quarrying activities in Bulacan.
Meanwhile, Governor Daniel R. Fernando assured that illegal miners caught in the campaign against illegal quarrying would face the full force of the law.
He also urged Bulakenyos to cooperate with authorities to end illegal quarrying in the province.
“Kaya naman hinihikayat ko ang bawat isa na maging mapanuri at magsumbong sa mga awtoridad kung may anumang kahina-hinalang gawain sa pag-quarry upang mawakasan ang ilegal na gawaing ito sa ating mahal na lalawigan (That is why I am urging everyone to be vigilant and report to authorities any suspicious quarrying activities to end illegal quarrying in our beloved province,” Fernando said. (PNA)
