Authorities raid illegal gold mine in Zamboanga Sibugay town

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Authorities shut down an illegal small-scale gold mining operation in Tungawan town, Zamboanga Sibugay province on Saturday afternoon.

Tungawan Mayor Carlnan Climaco said the raid was conducted after they received information of an illegal gold mining operation along the boundary of Gaycon and Loboc, remote barangays in the interior of the town.

Climaco, backed by town police, troops from the 42nd Infantry Battalion and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office crossed jungles and a river to find the site, which had been abandoned by the miners as the group was approaching on Saturday afternoon.

They inspected the site, documented the illegal operation, and dismantled the equipment there.

Police Capt. Wabelyn Ama Tarrozo of the Tungawan police station said investigators will continue to look for the operator of the illegal mine. Tungawan town is near Canatuan, where a multinational firm used to mine for gold.