THE SUCCESSFUL raid on an alleged illegal sand-and-gravel quarry operation along the Binalabagan River in Hacienda Bag-o, Barangay Crossing Magallon, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, August 25, was indeed praiseworthy.
The operation was carried out by personnel of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) of the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR).
Seven individuals — five laborers and three drivers — were arrested and remained in detention as of this writing.
The seized heavy equipment and other items were valued at more than P16 million.
And so, both Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Melencio Nartatez Jr. and PRO-NIR director Brigadier General Romano Cardiño were understandably elated over their men’s accomplishment.
MISSING ELEMENTS
But wait. There were missing elements.
These boil down to three questions:
• Who owns or operates the quarry?
• Who owns the property where the heavy equipment allegedly used in the quarry operation was found?
• Is the owner of the property also the quarry operator?
The fact that these questions remain unanswered makes the story of the quarry raid difficult to fully comprehend — unbelievable, even impossible or, worse, funny.
Imagine: Since Tuesday and until the submission of this piece, no one from the police has been willing to disclose the name of the quarry operator or the landowner.
I checked with the Moises Padilla Police Station, but Major Ryan Villasario, the town’s police chief, said they had no knowledge of who the quarry operator or landowner was.
Even the police blotter and the press release issued by PRO-NIR were silent about the identity of the operator or landowner.
Well, let’s pull no punches.
The seven arrested persons were just pawns. Question: Where is the king or queen?
WEAK EVIDENCE
So, I went back to PRO-NIR.
Again, I asked: Who is the quarry operator or landowner?
The answer: He or she will not be included in the filing of the case because the evidence is weak.
Gosh!
How will the case hold up in court later if these arrested individuals supposedly have no “boss”?
Please bear in mind that the suspects will be charged with theft of minerals under Section 103 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
And if found guilty, they could face imprisonment of six months to six years and a fine ranging from P10,000 to P20,000 each.
‘BLESSING IN DISGUISE’
Asked for comment, Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo was “thrilled” with the outcome of the raid.
At least, she clarified that when it comes to river quarrying, the provincial government issues permits for small-scale operations, while the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) handles large-scale operations.
But why is she “beyond happy”?
Because the raid has apparently put a stop, at least for now, to unregulated or hush-hush illegal quarrying in Barangay Crossing Magallon — one of the areas in Moises Padilla hardest hit by the killer flash floods brought by Super Typhoon “Tino” on November 4 last year.
Over-quarrying in rivers can contribute to flooding. Such activity can destabilize the riverbed, damage natural riverbanks and increase the rapid flow of water.
Hence, if this alleged illegal quarry operation in Hacienda Bag-o had already existed before the severe flooding last year, could it have contributed to the devastation in Moises Padilla, particularly in Crossing Magallon, during Typhoon Tino?
“Por Dios santo!”
ON ‘SHAKY GROUND’
Going back to the case, it appears to be on “shaky ground.”
Failing to identify the alleged head or mastermind behind the operation is a glaring omission.
Or does this alleged illegal quarry operate like “a snake with many heads”?
A snake with many heads is an idiomatic expression referring to an organization that continues to function and move in various directions even without a single identifiable head or master controlling it.
So, is this the case with the quarry operation in Hacienda Bag-o, Crossing Magallon, Moises Padilla?
I doubt it.
The police must speak. They must name names.
Otherwise, public trust could be eroded — just like a riverbank.
Negrenses are not fools. In this digital age, they are more empowered and knowledgeable than ever. They cannot be easily tricked.
In sum, a case that fails to identify the quarry operator or landowner will definitely appear flimsy.
Worse, it could become laughable./PN
