CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested 12 persons engaged in illegal quarrying operations in Barangay Sapang Balen, Mabalacat City.
The NBI-Environmental Crime Division raided the illegal quarry site after it received complaints from “concerned residents” of widespread extraction of sand in the area perpetrated by individuals “obviously without the necessary permits from the local government.”
On-site surveillance operations were conducted which showed “the unrelenting extraction of sands and lahar materials in the areas,” said NBI-EnCD. A check with the LGU was also made to ascertain if there was any permit issued for the quarrying operation.
NBI-EnCD said the raid came a week after the surveillance, resulting to the arrest of suspects John Patrick Reyes, Jhun Murillo, Egilberto San Pascual, Ronald Linsangan, Edcel Ruiz, Vincent Canlas, Eldren Anson, Jomar Nazar, Christopher Moreno, Joel Ong, Francis Pangilinan, and John Michael Matias, all residents of Barangay Sapang Balen.
One Virgilio Gamez, identified as the leader of the group leader, was not at the site during the raid. He is now being sought out, NBI-EnCD said.
“Gamez is not a holder of any permit from the LGU and concerned government agencies to extract and haul sand and lahar materials,” declared the NBI-EnCD, citing the absence of any record of quarrying permit issued to Gamez from the regional offices of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as from the Pampanga provincial environment and natural resources office.
The suspects were brought to NBI-Manila headquarters for further investigation as appropriate charges are being readied against them.
