Illegal miners destroy as much as 6 hectares in Dansolihon

By KC FERNANDEZ
Correspondent

THE City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) yesterday said some five to six hectares were destroyed as a result of alleged illegal mining operations discovered this week in Dansolihon.

Police have placed under custody two indigenes who served as guards at the mining site in Sitio Pasao, Barangay Dansolihon that was raided by authorities in Dansolihon on Tuesday.

Authorities seized from the guards––Felix Pagapon Cristobal and Hanison Toledo Guanzon of Maguindanao–– two AK-47 rifles, seven fully loaded 30ound magazines, and over 200 bullets.

Authorities said the guards failed to show them duty detail orders, mission orders, and memorandum receipts required for those carrying firearms.

Neither can they show documents in support of the mining company’s operations in Dansolihon, according to Clenro head Edwin Dael.

Dael earlier identified the mining firm as Cekas Mining Corp. Dael said the man identified to be in charge of the operations, Engr. Gilbert Bisana, would be asked to shed light on the matter. The Clenro, police and military raided the mining site and found a gold and copper processing plant some two kilometers from the area.

“Ipatawag siya ug mag-conduct kita og gitawag nga administrative proceeding kay MGB (Mines and Heosciences Bureau) man ana ang naa’y authority to conduct,” said Dael.

Tuesday’s raid resulted in the seizure of mining equipment such as a wheel scale, backhoe, a 700-meter detonating cord, assorted blasting caps, safety fuses, copper ore samples, a blue logbook.