Regional police official probed for illegal mining

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—An investigation into the alleged involvement of a high-raking regional police official in illegal mining activities in Zamboanga del Sur has started, Western Mindanao police officials said.

Chief Superintendent Elpidio De Asis, Western Mindanao police chief, said the PNP was conducting the investigation of Chief Inspector Prudencio Enojo Jr. on its own.

“There was an allegation but no formal complaint has been filed against him,” De Asis said.

Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr. of the municipality of Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur, had accused Enojo, deputy chief of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection group Western Mindanao, of involvement in illegal mining activities in Barangay Licabang.

Pacalioga said Enojo claimed ownership of a truckload of mine sludge that the authorities had seized on November 10.

The cargo contained mineral ores bound for a processing facility and should have been covered by pertinent permits such as for extraction and transport, he said.

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

Enojo had earlier said it was his wife, Nieves, who was actually involved in buying sludge from small-scale miners.

But in a follow up interview with the Inquirer, he said Nieves was just a friend. Enojo did not deny that he went to see Pacalioga.

“But I was not able to meet him. I did not go there to intervene but to verify why the cargo was seized,” he said.

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

Senior Superintendent Generoso Bonifacio, CIDG Western Mindanao chief, said De Asis has already summoned Enojo to explain his alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in Dumingag.

Bonifacio said Enojo had initially told him that he had no involvement in mining as Pacalioga had alleged.

Bonifacio said based on Enojo’s explanation, the sludge being transported was plain mine waste.

“It is not illegal because it is waste,” he quoted the police officer as saying.