TARLAC CITY – Thieves forced open the seismic vault of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s San Jose Observation Station (VPSJ) in San Jose, Tarlac province and carted away some of its equipment.
A routine maintenance activity inspection on Aug. 6 by Pinatubo Volcano Observatory (PVO) personnel discovered the theft.
Among the items taken were the usual solar batteries worth approximately P70,000, but more seriously, a state-of-the-art Kinemetrics Q330HRS+ Quanterra digitizer worth approximately P1.144 million.
Quanterra digitizers record and convert to usable formats all earthquake signal data that are detected by sensitive seismic sensors connected to these by specialized cables.
VPSJ operates a state-of-the-art borehole seismic sensor for critical recording of a wide range of volcanic earthquakes caused by magma intrusion beneath Pinatubo Volcano as well as for detecting tectonic earthquakes for the Philippine Seismic Network.
Commissioned in February 2022, VPSJ has provided crucial data for locating volcano-tectonic earthquakes generated by deep-seated magma beneath the Pinatubo edifice. It has also contributed data for the recording and aftershock monitoring of large-magnitude earthquakes that have severely affected northern Luzon since 2022.
The Aug. 6 theft is the third incident for the station, following theft of its solar panels in October and December 2024.
RA 10344 (Risk Reduction and Preparedness Equipment Protection Act of 2012) penalizes “the unauthorized taking, stealing, keeping or tampering of government risk reduction and preparedness equipment, accessories and similar facilities.” DOST-PHIVOLCS strongly enjoins the local government units and communities in and around Pinatubo Volcano to help keep volcano monitoring facilities safe from such illegal acts so that operational coverage of every sector of the volcano can be sustained for their collective readiness and safety. Any information concerning the above case of theft, as well as all prompt reporting of similar incidents in the future, will be of great importance to our collective safety. DOST-PHIVOLCS PR
