SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Criminal charges have been filed against six individuals arrested in recent anti-illegal mining operations in Barobo town in Surigao del Sur, where authorities seized an estimated P12.2 million worth of gold-bearing soil, mining equipment, and other paraphernalia.
In a statement, the Police Regional Office 13 said the complaints stemmed from joint operations conducted by PRO-13 and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Caraga, under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, on June 27 and 28 at separate mining sites in Barangay Bahi and Barangay Mamis.
Authorities said the suspects are facing complaints for illegal exploration and theft of minerals, both punishable under Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
The cases were filed before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Surigao del Sur under NPS-XIII-07c-INQ-26f-00064 dated June 29, 2026, and NPS-XIII-07c-INQ-26f-00066 dated June 30, 2026.
Following the operations, the suspects were turned over to the Barobo Municipal Police Station for documentation and custodial procedures.
The confiscated mineral-bearing soil, heavy equipment, and other pieces of evidence were placed under the custody of the DENR’s Cutlog Environment and Natural Resources Monitoring and Information Assistance Center for proper documentation and safekeeping.
PRO-13 said the filing of charges reflects the government’s continuing effort to hold accountable those allegedly involved in the illegal extraction of the country’s mineral resources and to protect the environment from destructive mining activities.
Police Regional Director PBGen. Marcial Mariano P. Magistrado IV said PRO-13 will continue coordinating with the DENR, MGB-Caraga, local government units, and other law enforcement agencies to strengthen intelligence-driven operations against illegal mining in the Caraga Region.
“We encourage the public to remain vigilant and immediately report illegal environmental activities, as protecting our natural resources is a shared responsibility of both the government and the community,” Magistrado said.
The filing of charges came days after the anti-illegal mining operations drew concern from local officials.
Barobo Mayor Ronie Matizano earlier questioned the conduct of the raids, claiming the operating teams failed to properly coordinate with the municipal government before carrying out the operations. He raised concerns over the alleged lack of prior notice and sought clarification on the procedures followed during the enforcement actions.
Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Danilo Joseph Galigao also said the mayor was disappointed after learning about the operations only after they had already been conducted.
Despite the local government’s concerns over coordination, PRO-13 maintained that the operations were legitimate law enforcement activities carried out jointly with the DENR and MGB-Caraga as part of the government’s continuing campaign against illegal mining in the region.
The June operations resulted in one of the biggest illegal mining seizures recorded in Surigao del Sur this year, with authorities estimating the total value of confiscated mineral-bearing soil, equipment, and other materials at P12.2 million.
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