Mayor accuses police officer of involvement in illegal mining

ILIGAN CITY—A Zamboanga del Sur town mayor has tagged a ranking police official as among those behind an illegal mining operation in the hinterlands of Dumingag town.

Dumingag Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr. accused Chief Insp. Prudencio Enojo Jr., deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Western Mindanao, of involvement in illegal mining after the officer claimed ownership of a truckload of sludge believed to contain ore that was seized by authorities on Nov. 10.

Enojo, according to the mayor, went to see him on Nov. 16 and negotiated for the release of the truck and its load.

“He appeared with his wife and owned up the seized cargo as if to stress why it needed to be released soon,” Mayor Pacalioga said.

Enojo told the Inquirer by phone he was open to any official investigation by the Philippine National Police so he can clear his name.

He said it was his wife, Nieves, who is actually involved in buying sludge from small-scale miners.

Chief Supt. Elpidio de Asis, Western Mindanao police chief, said he can only act when a formal complaint had been filed against Enojo.

“So far, there is no complaint,” he said.

Pacalioga said the seizure of the truckload of sludge came after local authorities ascertained that it was not covered by any permit.

Local officials had declared mining in Dumingag illegal as soon as these were discovered in July because of lack of authorization from the provincial board.

Pacalioga said the illegal activity continued unabated “because of armed protection with apparent backing from higher authorities.” Ryan D. Rosauro with a report from Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao