14 Chinese found working in Cagayan mine site illegals–NBI

BLACK SAND mining by Chinese operators in Cagayan. MELVIN GASCON/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation tagged as illegal aliens the 14 Chinese, who were arrested on Monday for conducting illegal mining in Aparri town.

Lawyer Hector Eduard Geologo, NBI director for Cagayan Valley, said the Chinese also failed to present permits to work at the mining site of Chinese firm Yingyi Mining Corp. in Dodan village in Aparri.

“Two of them claimed they were mere tourists when in fact, they were actually seen working when NBI agents raided the site,” he told the Inquirer on Wednesday.

The 14 Chinese, including a woman, were arrested in a raid by NBI agents following a request for assistance from Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Leo Jasareno, amid what he described as “a pile of complaints” over illegal mining for magnetite sand in Cagayan.

After days of surveillance in September, the NBI confirmed reports that Yingyi and other Chinese firms continued operating in Aparri despite a cease order issued by Gov. Alvaro Antonio in July, Geologo said.

The NBI filed charges of violation of the Philippine Mining Act against engineers Guo Jun Feng, Jinfa Xu, Jeng Tao He, He Ping Qing and Dao Guang Feng; Wanlai Zhang, Jing Sun, Quiang Guo, Xuezhi Yang, Tao Deng, Qing Bo Lu, De Hui Lei, Dong Yang and Yan Hai Wang.

They are detained at the NBI regional office while awaiting turnover to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The NBI also took into custody a 16-year-old Filipino boy who was caught working at the mine site.

Investigation showed that Yingyi operated despite having no mineral processing permit. Its license only allowed it to extract sand and gravel.

Paul Gino Rivera, chief of the NBI’s Isabela district office and a member of the raiding team, said agents caught Yingyi’s operation in full swing on Monday, with six backhoes and six pay loaders at the site.

Up to 40 trucks haul magnetite sand daily to Port Irene in Sta. Ana town, where the sand is loaded to ships bound for China.

He said the NBI is verifying reports and documents indicating some local officials were on the take from from Yingyi.