Camp BGen Efigenio C Navarro, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro – Police Regional Office MIMAROPA, under the leadership of Police Brigadier General SIDNEY SULTAN S HERNIA, arrested four individuals for alleged illegal gold mining in Pinamalayan Oriental Mindoro on Monday, August 15, 2022.

Pinamalayan Municipal Police Station Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Alfredo E Lorin, Jr, identified the arrested ,suspects, namely: (1) Ruben Colot De Mesa, 57, and (2) Joram Ravida Ramos, 53, both residents of Pola town; and (3) Marencho Hernadez Bustamante, 61, and (4) Jeffrey Mejellio Dela Cruz, 38, both from Pinamalayan, all of the same province.

The arrested suspects were caught in the act of doing exploration along the mountainous area of Sitio Babahurin, Barangay Guinhawa, of the said place without valid permit to operate.

Seized from the group were shovel, mallet, rope, crowbar and metal detector.

The arrested suspects are now under the custody of Pinamalayan MPS while necessary documents are being prepared for filing of charges of violation of Republic Act 7942 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 against them.