A team of inspectors from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) conducted a field investigation on March 8 - 10 2016, which confirmed the successful eradication of illegal mining activities there.

The Sangguniang Bayan of Lupon sent a formal request for the MGB to take appropriate action about the unlawful mining activities being performed at Barangay Calapagan in the Lupon Municipality.

Granting their request, the MGB sent a team to take action.

According to the investigation reports, the mining operator had already voluntarily pulled out their business in the last quarter of 2015, before things get out of hand. The local officials said that the illegal operator didn't want to be issued a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) and have a formal complaint filed against them, just like what had been done to the illegal mining operator at the nearby Banaybanay Municipality, where MGB seized the operator's equipment and issued a CDO and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Region XI filed a complaint for conducting mining operations against the law.

The Sanggunian Secretary, Ms. Sharon G. Balingit, on behalf of the members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Lupon, expressed appreciation to the action of the MGB.

By: Mining Technology Division

 MGB engineer conducting courtesy call and coordination with the Secretary of the Sangguniang Bayan of Lupon, Davao Oriental