CEBU City – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Region VII has formally deputized police and environmental officers to strengthen its campaign against illegal mining and quarrying in Central Visayas.
“We believe that the best way to safeguard our environment is through shared responsibility. Through the formal deputization of law enforcement, we are strengthening our enforcement network to ensure the sustainable management of our mineral resources in the region,” MGB acting regional director Al Emil Berador said.
Berador described the initiative as a strategic shift toward a more community-driven approach to environmental protection, enabling a unified front against illegal extraction activities across the region.
Under the setup, the deputized officers can investigate and arrest violators, as well as seize illegally sourced minerals and the vehicles or heavy equipment used in unauthorized operations.
To prepare them for their expanded roles, MGB-7 conducted an Enforcement Training on Anti-Illegal Mining on March 18.
The session equipped the officers with a working understanding of mining laws and translated complex technical regulations into practical field protocols.
Mining claim examiner Jacob Densing led a comprehensive discussion on the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (RA 7942), emphasizing the distinctions between permits issued by the MGB and DENR and those granted by local government units under devolved functions.
MGB-7 lawyer Gleen Revilla-Maravilla outlined the legal foundations of their DENRO authority, focusing on proper procedures for apprehension, arrest, and seizure of illegally sourced minerals and related conveyances.
This authority is anchored in Sections 9 and 103 of RA 7942, DAO No. 2010-21, and the revised deputation guidelines under DAO No. 2008-22.
The training and oath-taking were held at the CIDG conference room in Camp Sotero Cabahug, Cebu City, marking the officers’ formal integration into the bureau’s enforcement network.
Police Capt. Joseph Elmer Cornea of the CIDG noted that the deputation empowers the PNP to act more decisively against environmental violators while ensuring that all field operations remain within legal bounds.
