Police and environmental authorities arrested two alleged illegal miners and seized several pieces of mining equipment during a joint crackdown on unauthorized small-scale mining in two upland villages in Surigao City on Oct. 6.
The suspects were identified as Emiliano Minglana Solana, 52, of Purok 1, Barangay San Juan, and Maximino Tero Luspe Jr., 40, of Purok 11, Sitio File, Barangay Mat-i. They allegedly worked as gold panners, police said.
Lt. Col. Mariano Lukban, chief of the Surigao Component City Police Station (SCCPS), said village officials tipped off the station about ongoing unauthorized extraction in Sitio Bacahan, Barangay Mabini, and Sitio File, Barangay Mat-i, around 10 a.m.
A joint enforcement team was immediately dispatched to the site, located roughly 15 kilometers from the city police station. Joining the operation were operatives from the Surigao del Norte 1st Police Mobile Force Company, inspectors from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-13 (MGB-13), and personnel from the Surigao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO).
Operatives reached the area around 11:20 a.m. and allegedly caught Solana and Luspe red-handed while actively extracting mineral ores without permits, Lukban said.
Several unidentified companions eluded arrest after fleeing into the surrounding terrain upon spotting the approaching authorities.
Confiscated at the scene were 10 diesel- and gasoline-fueled water pumps, six shovels, four wooden strainers, a roll of fire hose, and a wooden round mill.
The suspects were detained at the SCCPS custodial facility and will face formal charges for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 7076, or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991.
The confiscated mining equipment was turned over to the City ENRO, in coordination with MGB-13, for proper custody and disposition.