JOINT operatives of the Baguio City Police Office and Philippine Military Academy personnel arrested 17 individuals who were caught in the act of illegal mining inside the PMA Compound, in Fort Del Pilar, near the Tower 66 on July 20.
Arrested during the operation were Rufino Daloria, 48, resident of Basa, Loakan Proper, Baguio City; Dayote Papay, 47, also from Basa, Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet; Miguel Letada, 42, resident of Purok 28, Irisan, Baguio City.
Mariano Facundo, 38, resident of Littac Sur, Santol, La Union; Edgar Lupian y Galleo, 37, resident of Purok 28, San Carlos Height, Baguio City; Paul Mark Letada, 31, resident of Purok 28, San Carlos Heights, Baguio City.
Raffy Acfiawon, 28, native and resident of Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet; Felmore Fabian, 27, resident of Camp 6, Tuba Benguet; June Peralta, single, 27, resident of Purok 28, Irisan, Baguio City; Wilmer Maclinic y Dalipe, 27, resident of Virac, Itogon, Benguet.
Marvin Sendong, 25, resident of Purok 28 Upper Irisan, Baguio City; Aimon Dalipe, 22, resident of Basa, Loakan Proper, Baguio City; Herodes Chigway, 21, resident of Basa, Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet.
Joshua Dadacay, 19, resident of Purok 28, Irisan, Baguio City; Jake Kay-an, single, 19, resident of Paracelis, Mountain Province; and two 17 year olds.
Recovered from the suspects were close to 20 sacks of soil, five pieces newly cut pine lumber used as support for the mining holes, blower, sledge hammer, chisel, shovel, and 15 flash lights.
Authorities are currently conducting in depth investigation to identify other miners who escaped during the operation for their immediate arrest.
Arrested individuals and seized items are now under the custody of Police Station 4 of the BCPO while the two minors were turned-over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (Roderick Osis)