BONTOC, Mountain Province – Police authorities gave illegal small-scale miners operating in the different parts of the province ten days to voluntarily dismantle their equipment and other facilities pursuant to the mandate of President Rodrigo R. Duterte against illegal mining around the country.
Senior Superintendent Allen S. Ocden, Provincial Director of the Mountain Province Provincial Police Office, underscored that illegal small-scale miners should comply with the ultimatum or else combined police and military operatives will dismantle the said illegal working areas of the pocket miners in the province.
Ocden manifested the ultimatum during the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) held recently in Sagada town.
“We will be firm in our commitment to stamp out illegal mining, illegal logging and illegal gambling in the province with the full support and cooperation of local officials and stakeholders so that we can preserve and protect our environment and the inculcate the right values to our youth,” Ocden stressed.
The police official added that after the lapse of the 10-day grace period, combined police and military personnel will inspect the identified mine sites to check on the compliance of the small-scale miners on the ultimatum and all those found to have not dismantled their equipment and other facilities shall be dealt with accordingly, aside from the dismantling of their structures by the concerned authorities.
According to him, the series of successful police operations against illegal loggers in the different municipalities shows their firm commitment to curb the proliferation of illegal logging activities province-wide with the help of concerned residents who continue to provide them with information on the presence of illegal logging in their places.
Ocden pointed out the province is blessed with pristine beauty which must be preserved by the people so that the present and future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and for them to be empowered to preserve and protect the same for the benefit of their children and their children’s children.
The police official expressed his gratitude to concerned residents who continue to provide police operatives with the needed information on illegal activities that allows the nearest police station to immediately attend to the matter and prevent further destruction to the environment, the province’s major asset in enticing nature lovers to visit the province.
Ocden rallied the people of the province to be more proactive in the government’s all-out campaign against illegal mining, illegal logging and illegal gambling by immediately reporting to the nearest police station any illegal activity going on in their places.
By HENT
