Cease and desist order ignored: Surigao mining operations resume under cover
Months after the CIDG raid, backhoes were spotted excavating behind tarpaulin walls—residents fear the operation has quietly resumed.
SURIGAO CITY—Suspended illegal mining operations in Barangays Mat-i and Mabini have quietly resumed, shocking residents and igniting fresh outrage in communities already burdened by environmental damage and government inaction.
Just months ago, these operations sparked widespread condemnation as rivers turned murky, homes and livelihoods were endangered, and over 1,300 residents signed a petition demanding immediate action.
Following intense scrutiny by local and national media, investigations by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Mines and Geosciences Bureau uncovered illegal practices and serious safety violations incurred by Chinese operators, resulting in a cease-and-desist order and a dramatic police raid that temporarily halted the operations.
Yet today, residents and local officials watch in disbelief and frustration as excavation quietly resumes—hidden behind tarps, shielded by darkness, and seemingly immune to accountability.
Resumption of operations confirmed by locals
A recent inspection led by Provincial Board Members Jeff Larong (Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources) and Elvira Egay (Chairman of the Committee on Local Government) together with local media, confirmed residents’ fears: machinery is back at the mining site, operating covertly and guarded aggressively.
Journalists who previously investigated the site in January noted stark changes.
What was once an open site is now shielded by heavy tarps, guarded closely, and inaccessible to scrutiny.
Forced to use drones and covert camera setups, media teams documented the renewed excavation activity and interviewed residents to find out more.
“They said they would backfill the area, but they’re still digging,” shared a resident from Barangay Mat-i, dispersing claims that the provincial and city government had begun rehabilitating the area.
“Their machinery runs at night, keeping us awake, worrying about our lands and rivers.”
This resident asked to remain anonymous out of fear for their safety.
Board Member Jeff Larong stands beside an anonymous resident (face blurred) who gestures toward where he witnessed machines digging.
Communities, livelihoods are once again threatened
This isn’t just about noise or inconvenience—it’s about the very survival of local communities.
During a recent inspection, Mat-i Barangay Councilor Nolan Zuares, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, expressed deep concern.
“During our last session, I insisted that we inspect the area because I couldn’t understand why our river had started to become murky again when operations were supposedly stopped after the raid,” he explained.
“We saw the operations ourselves,” shared Zuares.
“There were some backhoes that weren’t operating, but there were others that were actively digging again. This activity has seriously affected our agriculture—our new irrigation system is already clogged with sediment, damaging rice fields and threatening our harvests.”
Provincial Board Member Jeff Larong emphasized the severity of the situation, highlighting that the mining operations’ elevated locations significantly heighten the risk of disaster.
“From what we saw earlier, there was a tailings pond being emptied out into a small stream. Given the elevated nature of these mining operations, any containment failure could result in catastrophic flooding, similar to tragic events we’ve seen in Placer and Tubod, where tailings dams collapsed, sending torrents of toxic sludge through communities that had no chance to escape,” Larong warned.
He urgently called for expert intervention from licensed mining engineers and official assessment by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
The mining operations at Placer and Tubod had properly engineered facilities yet these deadly incidents still occurred.
How much greater is the risk when potentially unregulated operations are situated at elevations that would turn any containment failure into a devastating downhill flow toward unsuspecting communities?
From above, the vast tailings ponds carve scars into the landscape, while nearby communities stand at the brink of environmental fallout.
Board Member Elvira A. Egay also raised the question wondered by all: “Wasn’t this operation supposed to be stopped already? Why has it started back again?”
The rivers have again turned murky with silt, choking farmers’ livelihoods and threatening residents’ homes downstream.
Despite repeated pleas to city and provincial officials, and even direct appeals to the DENR and MGB, residents say their calls have been met with silence, leaving them feeling hopeless and abandoned.
Adding to residents’ suspicion, Erwin Coleta, caretaker and “semi-broker” involved with the land acquisition for the mining operations, admitted during an ambush interview that both sand and gravel were extracted.
This contradicts earlier claims that only sand was collected—a clear violation of their stated permit conditions, now expired.
Operations are more dangerous now than ever before
Councilor Zuares further noted the increased dangers of continued excavation.
“It’s much more dangerous now because the excavation has gotten deeper,” he said.
“If heavy rains come, water could collect in these deeper pits and potentially burst, causing catastrophic flooding downstream.”
A journalist’s lens captures a backhoe actively excavating during the official inspection of the mining site.
“Are we waiting for another deadly incident like Placer, where families were swept away in their sleep? How safe are the barangays nestled beneath these questionable quarrying operations in Mati and Mabini?” Larong asked.
The risk escalates with each passing day—and each additional meter of excavation at these elevated sites—yet community complaints appear to be systematically downplayed by authorities.
“It seems clear that those in power prefer to protect mining interests rather than the people who elected them,” one frustrated barangay official remarked. This silence and inaction by the provincial and city government raises troubling questions: Who truly benefits from these operations? Why do officials appear indifferent or complicit in environmental abuse?
Surigaonons’ Choice: Silent officials or real accountability
The illegal mining saga in Surigao City is not new. Investigative reports from the Inquirer highlighted these illicit activities months ago, prompting significant public backlash and official responses. Yet, with operations stealthily resuming despite heavy scrutiny and documented violations, residents are beginning to suspect deeper collusion between illegal mining operators and local authorities.
“We have lost hope in the current administration,” said another resident, expressing sentiments echoed by many.
“Change has to come from somewhere else. Our officials have shown us they don’t care.”
Children of Brgy. Mabini take shelter beneath election tarpaulins bearing the names of candidates for local posts.
As the May elections approach, Surigaonons now face an urgent choice. Will they continue to tolerate an administration that ignores their safety, livelihoods, and the environment, or will they demand accountability and vote for real change?
For Surigaonon communities plagued by these illegal operations, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
