Photo courtesy: PNP’s Regional Community Affairs and Development Division 10
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (January 6) — The 10th Infantry Division (10ID) has confirmed that administrative investigations are underway against two soldiers allegedly involved in illegal mining activities in Misamis Oriental.
In an interview Monday, Maj. Ruben Gadut, 10ID public affairs chief and spokesperson, said the two troopers remain on active duty but are now under investigation.
“We are cooperating fully with the police since they have custody of the troopers,” Gadut said. “Appropriate administrative and legal actions will be taken if warranted.”
The soldiers are assigned to the 10th Military Intelligence Battalion, according to the Army.
Arrest at Opol Checkpoint
Based on a report from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion of the Philippine National Police in Northern Mindanao, the two soldiers were apprehended at a checkpoint in Barangay Limonda, Opol, on December 29, 2025, along with seven civilians.
Authorities recovered 60 sacks of unrefined minerals estimated to be worth ₱300,000, as well as firearms and ammunition, during the operation.
Police said the interception was part of intensified operations against illegal mining and mineral transport in the province.
Illegal Mining Hotspots in the Province
Authorities have repeatedly flagged illegal small-scale mining activities in upland and river-adjacent areas of Misamis Oriental, particularly in parts of Opol, Claveria, Balingasag, and Gingoog City, where mineral deposits, forest cover, and limited monitoring converge.
Environmental officials note that illegally extracted minerals are often transported at night or passed through secondary roads to avoid detection.
Communities Bear the Impact
Residents in upland barangays say the damage caused by illegal mining is felt long after minerals are taken out.
“When it rains hard, the river turns brown and rises fast,” said a farmer from an upland barangay in Opol. “Before the mining, that didn’t happen this often.”
In Claveria, residents living near riverbanks reported soil erosion affecting farms and access roads.
“Our cornfields were slowly eaten away by erosion,” said a resident leader. “When silt comes down, it’s our land that disappears.”
Downstream communities say the effects accumulate during the rainy season.
“We’re not the ones mining, but we’re the ones flooding,” said a resident of a low-lying barangay in Balingasag. “That’s the unfair part.”
Environmental Risks Cited
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has warned that illegal mining contributes to river siltation, forest degradation, soil erosion, and heightened flood risks, particularly in provinces with steep upland terrain like Misamis Oriental.
Environmental groups say degraded watersheds weaken natural flood controls and threaten water sources relied on by both upland and coastal communities.
Parallel Investigations Ongoing
The Philippine National Police is handling the criminal investigation, while the Army is conducting a separate administrative probe in accordance with military regulations.
The 10ID said it will not interfere with police proceedings and reiterated its commitment to discipline and accountability within its ranks.
Illegal mining continues to pose enforcement and environmental challenges in Northern Mindanao, as authorities face mounting pressure to protect watersheds while ensuring that those implicated—civilian or uniformed—are held to account.
