Surigao del Sur LGU Criticizes Mining Raid for Lack of Coordination

BAROBO, Surigao del Sur — The local government unit (LGU) of Barobo, Surigao del Sur has criticized the raid recently conducted by authorities on alleged illegal mining sites in two barangays, saying it was not properly informed of the operation. Mayor Ronnie Martizano on Tuesday described the raid as “disgusting” for its alleged failure to coordinate with the local government. He deferred a full statement as he was attending to his wife confined at a hospital in Davao City. Danilo Joseph Galigao, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office head, also said the joint operation had no prior coordination with the LGU and that they were only informed when enforcement was already underway in Barangays Bahi and Mamis. In a statement, the Police Regional Office-13 (PRO-13) said the anti-illegal mining raid was conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-13 (DENR), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-13 (MGB-13), CENRO-Lianga, the DENR Cutlog Environmental Monitoring and Information Assistance Center (MIAC), and the Barobo Municipal Police Station. But the Barobo police chief, Maj. Andrew Lupian, said that even the local police were notified after the operation had started. The raid on June 27 and 28 resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of at least P7.1 million worth of equipment, including a backhoe, pumps, chainsaws, and other mining paraphernalia. According to the mayor, he earlier told barangay officials of Bahi that small-scale gold panning and sluicing activities have been temporarily allowed as livelihood activities while the municipality awaited approval of its “Minahang Bayan” (people’s mining site) application from the MGB. The recent anti-illegal mining operation has reignited long-standing tensions in Barobo, where illegal gold extraction activities in upland barangays have previously triggered disputes between miners, local officials, and enforcement agencies. These tensions escalated last year after Martizano survived an ambush allegedly linked to his intensified crackdown on large-scale mining operations using heavy equipment in forest and river-adjacent areas. The incident later prompted heightened security monitoring and contributed to the creation of a multi-agency task force under the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) to investigate suspected organized mining networks in the region. During early task force coordination meetings, local officials also raised environmental concerns over sedimentation and river damage affecting downstream ecosystems, including waterways linked to Hinatuan town and its Enchanted River tourism site, one of the region’s most visited natural attractions. Galigao said Martizano, during a meeting on Sunday, raised concerns that the lack of coordination had unnecessarily involved the municipal government in a controversy. He was referring to online allegations linking the mayor to a “standard operating procedure,” in which the Martizano allegedly received a share from illegally extracted minerals. Galigao called the claims baseless and politically motivated, and reiterated that the mayor had instead pushed for stricter regulation of small-scale mining while prohibiting heavy equipment pending the approval of the Minahang Bayan proposal. The official said they received complaints that members of the raiding team allegedly confiscated cash, mobile phones, and gold from individuals found at the site. Maj. Michael John Sentinta, chief of the 1301st Maneuver Company, denied allegations of misconduct during the operation, as he stressed that the raid was properly coordinated with concerned agencies. He challenged complainants to file formal charges if they believed their rights were violated. PRO13 Director Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano Magistrado IV said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal mining and protect natural resources in Caraga.