AUTHORITIES confirmed that illegal mining operations recently dismantled in Marasugan, Davao de Oro, were being run by Chinese nationals previously arrested for involvement in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos).
On September 12, operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation–Southeastern Mindanao (NBI-Semro), together with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Davao Region, raided two sites in Purok Lanipga and Purok Mandaupan, Barangay Bahi. They found bunkers, tunnels, and mining equipment, along with sacks of copper ore and blasting materials such as ANFO and blasting caps.
NBI-Semro spokesperson Ely Leano said intelligence reports revealed the suspects were the same Chinese nationals earlier apprehended for Pogo activities.
“Hindi pala sila umuwing China. What they did was just remain in Davao Region and engage in allegedly into mining (They never returned to China. Instead, they stayed in the Davao Region and allegedly shifted to mining)," he told local media.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police supported the raid. Cases for illegal possession of explosives and violations of environmental laws are being prepared.
From one illegality to another
Officials said the Marasugan discovery mirrors a broader trend in the Davao Region, where some Chinese nationals caught in past Pogo crackdowns have turned to other illicit businesses, including mining.
In December 2024, NBI agents raided a Pogo hub in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, arresting 59 Chinese nationals and one Filipino.
In August this year, another raid in Davao City’s Buhangin district led to the arrest of eight Chinese nationals operating a gaming hub inside a subdivision home.
Nationwide, the Bureau of Immigration has tagged more than 11,000 foreign nationals for deportation following Executive Order No. 74, which banned all Pogos in late 2024. Still, some groups have remained, branching into activities that pose environmental and public safety risks.
Leano warned that without sustained, coordinated enforcement, illicit operators will continue to shift from one illegal trade to another. He added that the dismantling of the Marasugan mining sites should serve as both a warning and a call for vigilance as Mindanao faces evolving threats from organized crime. DEF