13 men nabbed in Itogon tunnels for illegal mining

ITOGON, Benguet – Police arrested 14 men for illegal mining in several tunnels here last week.

This, after a police team scoured the area, found several mine tunnels and sacks of gold ore near these above a road.

Police identified the arrested miners as Tingwan Dao-ay, Fernando Ofoob Falaw-ed, Donald Imado Imperial, all residents of Kias, Baguio City.

Others were Herman Mamattong Masgay of Sagada, Mt. Province and presently residing at 32 Purok 6, Irisan, Baguio ; Reynaldo Macusi Amoyen, of Rizal, Kalinga and presently residing at 80, Purok 8, Kias, Baguio; James Balas Calpi, of Tabuk, Kalinga; Rudy Mamattong Masgay, Jerry Ogannod Pisipis and Moises Sara-ed Bagay of Sagada, Mountain Province.

Also arrested were Crisanto Sadyok Oli, of Kibungan, Benguet; Anthony Malidun Digmo of Baguio City; Jodel Obar Sabado of Caloocan City; Jessie Mariano Watawat and John Perez Watawat of Tadian, Mountain Province.

Arresting officers included personnel of Benguet provincial police headquarters led by Senior Insp. Joseph Marcos, Itogon police led by Insp. Robert Gaspar,

This, after engineer Octavius Mano from the Environment and Natural Resources Office of the provincial government and Fernando Guevarra of Mines And Geosciences Bureau verified veracity reports of small mining at Nuggets Hill, Ampucao, Itogon.

Also confiscated were 11 sacks of gold ore, two shovels, two sample pans, two sledge hammers and a miner’s lamp.

Investigation disclosed that Tingwan Dao-ay and Abe Camiding, both residents of Kias, Baguio were the alleged financiers and operators of small scale mining in the area.

Police are now preparing cases for illegal mining against the suspects.