BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 19) —Surveillance Operations of the Western Cagayan Maritime Police Station in the coastal town of Claveria in Cagayan province led to the arrest of 10 illegal miners on Monday, Police Regional Office 2 (PRO2) said.
Lt. Rhayan Turingan of Claveria police station said the miners were arrested along the shoreline of Barangay (village) D’Leano in Claveria town in collaboration with the explosives ordnance disposal and canine (EOD K9) unit and the Claveria police station.
Turingan identified the arrested suspects as Edgene Caligan, Reylie Acob, Noel Inocencio, Joel Caligan Jr., Rhayan Avanzado, Oscar Avanzado, Noel Avanzado and Clarence Magayano, all residents of Claveria town. The two other suspects — Keith Reeve Julaquit and a certain Dodong who is a minor — are both from Conner town in Apayao province.
Earlier, D’Leano village officials reported to the police the said illegal activity in their area which prompted the operatives to conduct a surveillance operation.
Police confiscated from the suspects a water pump set, two steel mallets, a handheld radio, two pieces of ordinary blasting cap, an ordinary five feet time fuse, around 50 grams of ammonium fuel oil, a liter of gasoline and four steel chisels.
Turingan said the suspects will undergo an inquest proceeding before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Cagayan province for violation of Republic Act 7076 or People’s Small-scale Mining Act of 1991.
He said the minor was endorsed to the municipal social welfare and development officer of Claveria for the determination of discernment and appropriate disposition.
Claveria town including the rivers or beaches of Aparri, Buguey, Gonzaga, Camalaniugan, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Ballesteros, Abulug and Lal-lo in Cagayan province are rich in black sand minerals.