The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is intensifying its investigation into a small-scale mining operation suspected of illegally employing foreign workers in Camarines Norte.
DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga revealed that the ongoing case buildup is being conducted in collaboration with multiple government agencies and local authorities.
“This is a small-scale mining processing operation, and as you know, there’s a heavy local government and community component,” Loyzaga told a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.
Loyzaga further noted the likelihood of foreign workers being involved in illegal activities at the site. “I believe the presence of foreigners is a very great possibility,” she stated.
The DENR chief referenced a similar case last year, where foreign workers were apprehended during an illegal mining operation near the border of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
The current investigation is ongoing, and the DENR is working closely with other agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), to ensure proper legal action is taken.
Illegal employment of foreign workers is a significant concern for the DENR, as Philippine law only permits the hiring of foreign nationals for highly technical positions that cannot be filled locally.
Loyzaga emphasized the need for stronger interagency cooperation to ensure proper documentation and compliance with labor laws. “There’s a lot of cooperation ongoing between different agencies,” she said.
In addition to addressing illegal mining operations, she also highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts in disaster risk reduction.
Last weekend, government authorities arrested 11 Chinese nationals for working at an illegal mining site in Barangay Tugos in Paracale, Camarines Norte while on tourist visas.
The Bureau of Immigration, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police acted on a tip from the governor, revealing that a mining company had an environmental permit but was expanding illegally.
“The equipment shows it’s large-scale, open-pit mining, not small-scale,” said PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio. Safety violations were also found, with some workers lacking protective gear.
