900 bags of natural stones seized

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) foiled an attempt to smuggle 900 bags of natural stones out of the country, an official said yesterday.

Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said the rocks, loaded in a 40-foot shipping container, arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and were about to be exported to Oakland, California.

BOC-MICP district collector Ricardo Belmonte believes the seized items came from Mindanao because the area has beautiful underwater rock formations.

The BOC said the exporter, Major Stone International Enterprises, allegedly did not have the required mineral ore export permit is issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Alvarez said the MGB might have also found prima facie evidence of illegal mining against the exporter.

“The exporter could face charges of theft of minerals, pursuant to the provisions of DENR Administrative Order 96-40 Series of 1996, otherwise known as the ‘Philippine Mining Act of 1995’ if it would be proven that the confiscated stones had been mined, extracted or removed without any authority under existing laws,” he said.

As of press time, the BOC could not give an estimated value of the shipment. The BOC said it investigate the incident.