Illegal quarry operators in Rizal arrested
MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested four machinery operators in an illegal quarry site in Angono, Rizal, on Tuesday, January 20.
The four operators were arrested for theft of minerals, in violation of the Philippine Mining Act.
Two officials of Prime East Properties Incorporated and R. Sison Builders — the companies involved in the conduct of quarrying activities — were included in the complaints subsequently filed, and remain at large. Prime East Properties is the developer of Village East II, the residential area in Angono that is in vicinity of the quarrying site, while R. Sison Builders acted as the operator.
On the day of the arrest, the NBI observed ongoing quarrying activities in the vicinity of Village East II. This is despite the cease and desist order against the companies’ quarrying activities issued by the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) on December 12, 2024.
The MGB established that the companies do not hold a valid and existing mineral production sharing agreement nor the necessary permits for extraction, processing, and transportation.
Witnesses in the quarry site said trucks come and go to the area to buy construction aggregates such as sand, gravel, and crushed stone. A witness said there were eight trucks that transported aggregates out of the quarry site on the day of the arrest.
According to concerned nongovernmental organizations, the companies have been extracting mineral materials in the site for a decade and have worsened the living condition of residents in the area.
DECADE. Environmental groups said quarrying activities have been ongoing in this area for more than a decade. These satellite images taken from Google Earth show the progression from 2015 to 2025. Graphics by Sam Calleja/Rappler
Groups said heavy blasting has caused ear irritation and other health problems such as cough and fever. It also allegedly contributed to flooding in parts of Angono due to “clogged debris, materials and sediments coming from the quarry site that choked the Angono River.”
In 1990, the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board granted Prime East Properties a development permit for the residential area. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) likewise issued an environmental compliance certificate for the project which covered 1,028,500 square meters.
R. Sison Builders is a business engaged in general construction and the exploration, development, and utilization of minerals, sand, gravel, and limestone. – Rappler.com
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