8 Chinese, 1 Filipino nabbed in Pagadian over illegal mining

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  -  Police and environment authorities arrested eight Chinese nationals and a Filipino for illegal mining Tuesday night in a village of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, according to a security official.

The police said the arrest came following information and surveillance conducted by the Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (LENRO) on the illegal mining activity at Barangay Lower Sibatang.

Senior Inspector Joseph Ortega, spokesman of Police Regional Office 9 (PRO), said combined elements of the Pagadian City Police led by Superintendent Glenn Macario Dulawan, Provincial Public Safety Company headed by Superintendent Michael Palermo, personnel from the office of the governor, and LENRO launched the raid and apprehended the eight Chinese and their Filipina cook in the act of extracting minerals  and gold.

The arrested Chinese nationals were identified as  Xiaomin, 36; Dongdong, 39; Tangzihan, 25; and  Liu Gi Yi, 29; Chung Yong De, 27; Zhang Shu Kei, 24; Duan Guang Zong, 55; all with passport and tourist visa; and Lui Chang Yin, 50 years old, according to Dulawan.

The Filipino was identified as Jennilyn Morado Ramirez, the chief cook of the group who is a resident of Barangay Igang, Masbate.

The police said the suspects were arrested about 10 p.m. Tuesday at Barangay Sibatang while on the act of illegal mining and quarrying.

Ortega said recovered during the operation were two units of backhoe and several doormats which the suspects used as filtering tools.

According to Dulwan, there was no record of the arrival of the suspects in the Philippines and when they began their mining activities. The suspects' passports however showed that they arrived in Pagadian on  March 25.

The suspects and the recovered  pieces of evidence used in the illegal mining were brought to the Pagadian City Police Station while charges of illegal mining have been prepared by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and office of the Bureau of Immigration.

The arrested eight chinese nationals and their Filipino cook are detained at the Pagadian Police Station and will be transferred to the city jail following their inquest proceedings.