Village chief ordered to stop illegal quarry ops

The Cebu City Government has issued a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against a village chief for allegedly excavating minerals without valid permits in a mountain barangay in the city.

Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) executive assistant Lito Vasquez, in an interview, said local enforcers served the CDO yesterday to Kalunasan Barangay Captain Nonilon Monares.

The order was issued after the enforcers apprehended last week three trucks transporting durite, which was allegedly extracted from a quarry site owned and operated by Monares. The drivers reportedly failed to present the necessary documents to show that their hauling activity was legal.

City Ordinance (CO) 2115, which regulates earth-moving activities in the city, prohibits the excavation and transportation of minerals and soil without delivery receipts and/or hauling permits issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau 7 or the City Mining Regulatory Board.

Vasquez told reporters that during their initial investigation, the village chief denied the allegation, saying they are developing a subdivision in the site and not a quarry.

The apprehended drivers, on the other hand, maintained that they purchased the minerals from Monares.

SunStar Cebu tried to reach Monares, but got no response.

Vasquez said they have also endorsed two separate CDOs to the City Legal Office for review, before they issue these to private contractors allegedly operating illegal quarry operations in Barangays Binaliw and Pulangbato.

He also urged the officials in the mountain barangays, especially in the north district where most excavations are made, to help monitor earth-moving activities in their areas. /

Owning the property does not provide you with the right to extract and/ or haul material from one point to another without the necessary requirements. LITO VASQUEZ CCENRO executive assistant