THE Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo) has been cracking down on illegal quarrying activities, leading to the arrest of 99 individuals and the impounding of 99 trucks since the beginning of 2024.
These apprehensions stemmed from 97 police operations conducted in collaboration with the Provincial Task Force Anti-Overloading from January 1 to March 19, 2024.
The arrested individuals were found to be violating Provincial Ordinance 2017-145, which prohibits illegal quarrying and related activities.
Despite ongoing efforts, IPPO chief Police Coronel Ronaldo Palomo acknowledged the continued presence of violations.
"Usual violations, like tampered or incomplete delivery receipts, overloading, or misreported cargo, keep recurring," Palomo said. "It seems quarry operators are not learning from past apprehensions."
The Ippo remains committed to ensuring environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically beneficial quarrying practices. It campaign focuses on not only the extraction activities but also the proper delivery of quarried materials to end-users.
The Provincial Task Force Anti-Overloading is focusing on continued collaboration and public awareness to enhance its strategy. The Ippo’s intensified campaign aims to deter illegal quarrying and its associated environmental damage. (Leo Solinap/PR)