BAGUIO CITY April 03 – The Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) in coordination with the local government will be sealing the alleged illegal mine tunnels located at Uabac and other areas of barangay Camp 7 to put a stop on the continuous operation of illegal small-scale mining in the area.
City Planning and Development Officer Engr. Evelyn G. Cayat informed Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan that based on the recent meeting of the City Mining Regulatory Board (CMRB), MGB-CAR officials agreed to seal the illegal mine tunnels in the area pursuant to the mandate of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu for the total eradication of illegal mining operations that resulted in the creation of the National Task Force Mining Challenge (NTFMC).
Cayat added personnel of the MGB-CAR and the City Engineering Office (CEO) already conducted an ocular inspection of the site to guide them in the preparation of the required program of work for the proposed sealing of the illegal small-scale mine tunnels.
She confirmed that despite the closure order issued by the local government to stop the illegal mining operations in Uabac, Camp 7, the illegal pocket miners continue to proliferate there.
Mayor Domogan pointed out that the local government should not wait for Secretary Cimatu to again come to the city and personally blast the illegal mine tunnels before coming out with a concrete action, thus, the need for concerned offices to be aggressive in stopping illegal mining operations in the city.
Earlier, the local government was able to padlock the illegal mine tunnels in Uabac upon the decision of the CMRB but pocket miners were able to resume their illegal mining activities after a temporary lull in their operation.
Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) City Director Senior Superintendent Ramil L. Saculles reported that police operatives were able to arrest a number of individuals allegedly involved in the illegal mining operations in the said place and were able to file the appropriate charges against them before the city prosecutor’s office.
He assured local officials that police operatives will continue to monitor the alleged illegal mining operations in the place and effect the arrest of individuals who continue to defy the marching orders of concerned government agencies and the local government against the proliferation of illegal mining operations in the city.
Domogan ordered the personnel of concerned government agencies and the different offices of the local government to sustain the aggressive monitoring of the activities of illegal miners in the area to prevent them from resuming their illegal mining operations that will compel environment officials to consider blasting the place and permanently stop pocket mining operations in the city.**By Dexter A. See
