Nueva Vizcaya police seizes illegally transported mineral products
by Ben Moses Ebreo
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (October 1) -- Police authorities and environmental law enforcers here on Thursday intercepted a truck loaded with mineral deposits from the gold rush area in Kasibu town.
Police Senior Supt, Elmer Beltejar said at least 40,000 kilos of the mineral by-products, locally called "Luyot" were seized by joint forces of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and task force members of the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) in a checkpoint along the national highway here.
Last week, some 48,000 kilos of mineral by-products were also seized by the composite team of law enforcers who were organized and dispatched to prevent villagers in the gold rush site in barangays Didipio and Alimit in Kasibu town from transporting the mineral by-products.
Intensified monitoring and manning of checkpoints from the entry and exit points within the upland town of Kasibu have been conducted due to the continuing transport of mineral by-products from the town.
The crackdown on illegal transport of "Luyot" from Kasibu town was ordered by governor Luisa Cuaresma since no mining permits have been issued yet o the villagers in the mining sites.
Officials of the provincial government here are still contemplating on the application of proper tax laws among the increasing miners in the area due to the lucrative trade of selling "Luyot" in the black market.
A kilo of "Luyot" sells for P20 to P30.00 locally but their price is much higher when sold to foreign buyers, villagers in Kasibu said.
The provincial government here has denied the plea of miners and "Luyot" businessmen in the gold rush areas of Kasibu town, mostly members of the Kalanguya and Ifugao tribes who had earlier lamented the economic toll on their families due to the seizure of their by-products. (PIA NVizcaya) [top]
