No MGB report, no charges: Iloilo quarrying case stalls

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The filing of charges against individuals linked to alleged illegal quarrying in Dueñas and Barangay Maribong, Lambunao, Iloilo has been delayed for nearly two months due to the absence of a technical report from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-6, the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) said.

In a radio interview, PGENRO head Atty. Cesar Emmanuelle Buyco Jr. said the MGB report is a required document for the filing of charges under Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

“We have been waiting for the MGB report because we want to file the case under national law, particularly for theft of minerals. But it has been almost two months and we have yet to receive it,” Buyco said.

He said he had spoken with MGB-6 regional director Cecilia Ochavo Saycon last week, who assured the report would be submitted, though no specific timeline was given.

The MGB, an agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is tasked with the conservation, management, and regulation of the country’s mineral resources, including the technical assessment of quarrying and extraction activity.

Once the report is completed, PGENRO is prepared to file charges for violation of Section 103, or theft of minerals, against five individuals identified in the investigation.

Buyco noted that pursuing charges under national law would be more appropriate because it carries heavier penalties, including possible imprisonment, compared with violations under provincial ordinances.

He earlier disclosed that there are six respondents, including uniformed personnel, local officials, and businesspeople.

Violation of Section 103 of the Mining Act carries penalties of up to six years imprisonment and fines of up to PHP 20,000.

Buyco added that the provincial government may also proceed with cases under Provincial Ordinance No. 2025-354 if the MGB report is further delayed, to avoid stalling legal action.

The case stemmed from a joint anti-illegal quarrying operation in April involving PGENRO, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, MGB-6, and police special units along the Dueñas–Calinog–Lambunao boundary.

No arrests were made, as operators reportedly fled before authorities arrived.

Drone surveillance allegedly showed ongoing quarrying activity prior to the raid.

Six abandoned backhoes were later recovered in Barangay Cabudian, Dueñas, and placed under barangay custody.

On May 22, PGENRO said it had already consolidated sufficient evidence against at least three respondents, with validation and backtracking operations continuing for others linked to the case.

In a separate interview, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. expressed full support for the ongoing investigation.

“We will see how the investigation will develop,” he said, stressing that quarrying is regulated to prevent environmental damage.

He explained that the permit system exists to ensure that extraction activities are properly monitored, with safeguards in place to protect river systems, landscapes, and nearby communities from destructive operations.

Defensor also noted that the investigation may serve as a warning to local officials who could be linked to illegal quarrying activities, saying that accountability will apply regardless of position once violations are established through proper legal processes.