ILOILO – The top police official in Western Visayas has threatened rogue policemen allegedly involved in illegal quarry operations in Iloilo Province with dismissal, criminal charges, and the destruction of their careers as authorities intensify a crackdown on the illicit extraction trade.
Police Regional Office-6 director Brigadier General Josefino Ligan issued the warning following reports from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) that some men in uniform may be protecting or facilitating illegal quarry activities in several parts of Iloilo.
“Pag kayo napatunayan at nahuli, goodbye kayo sa career ninyo. Goodbye kayo sa trabaho ninyo. Goodbye ang kinabukasan ninyo. Goodbye kayo sa pamilya niyo. Maliwanag ‘yun,” Ligan said during a press conference.
The warning came amid mounting concerns over alleged links between illegal quarry operators and certain law enforcers as provincial authorities continue confiscating dump trucks and heavy equipment tied to unauthorized hauling and quarry violations.
Ligan said police personnel found protecting, facilitating, or directly participating in illegal quarry activities would face both criminal and administrative sanctions.
“The regional investigation division is now working on this to determine whether these reports are true. If proven, necessary police operations will immediately be conducted, and corresponding cases will follow — whether criminal or administrative,” he said.
According to Ligan, the investigation is being conducted under the police organization’s internal counter-intelligence program aimed at identifying and removing rogue officers from the service.
He reminded police officers across Western Visayas that they are mandated to enforce the law — not violate it.
“To all PRO-6 personnel, always remember that public office is a public trust. You are mandated to perform your duties with utmost integrity,” he said. “Nasa gobyerno kayo. Kayo ang dapat nagpapatupad ng batas; hindi kayo ang lumalabag o nakikisangkot sa ilegal na aktibidad.”
Ligan stressed that the police force would not tolerate officers abusing their authority for personal gain or shielding illegal operators.
“If you are wearing this uniform and using your position to protect illegal activity, then you have no place in this organization,” he said.
The PRO-6 chief also underscored the importance of internal cleansing within the police organization, saying public trust in law enforcement depends on the ability of the institution to discipline its own ranks.
21 dump trucks, pay loader seized
Authorities seized 21 dump trucks and one pay loader in a recent two-week operation that uncovered document tampering, misdeclaration, and unauthorized quarry hauling activities across several towns in Iloilo Province.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) said the anti-illegal quarry operations were conducted from April 25 to May 6, 2026 in coordination with the Iloilo Provincial Government’s Task Force Overloading.
The Santa Barbara Municipal Police Station recorded the highest number of apprehensions with eight cases, police records showed.
The Miag-ao Municipal Police Station followed with four apprehensions, including the confiscation of one pay loader.
The San Miguel Municipal Police Station logged three apprehensions, while Cabatuan recorded two.
Meanwhile, police stations in Zarraga, Oton, New Lucena, Badiangan, and Tigbauan each reported one apprehension.
According to the IPPO, most of the violations involved incompletely filled-out documents, misdeclared entries, tampered delivery receipts, open-dated contracts, and the absence of hauling contracts. These violations constitute breaches of Section 2H.35, Paragraph B-18 of the Revised Revenue Code of Iloilo, which covers illegal quarrying activities.
Several of the confiscated dump trucks remain impounded at police stations where charges have been filed, while legal proceedings against the operators and drivers are ongoing.
PGENRO head Atty. Cesar Emmanuelle Buyco Jr. said intelligence reports indicate powerful individuals are behind illegal quarry operations.
“May involved nga politicians, businessmen, kag dalagku nga mga negosyante, a landowner, and uniformed personnel but I can’t say kun PNP, Navy or Army,” he said without giving specific names.
PGENRO records show that more than 50 quarry permits have been issued across Iloilo Province, underscoring the need to distinguish legal operations from illegal ones./PN
