PAGADIAN CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 21, 2014) – Philippine authorities are holding 8 Chinese nationals who were arrested for illegal gold mining in the outskirts of Pagadian City in the southern province of Zamboanga del Sur.
Officials said a Filipino, who works as a cook for the foreigners, was also arrested by the police in the village of Lower Sibatang where authorities also seized the group’s two backhoe excavators.
The foreigners were identified only by their aliases Xiaomin, 36; Dongdong, 39; Tangzihan, 25; Liu Gi Yi, 29; Chung Yong de, 27; Zhang Shu Kei, 24; Duan Guang Zong, 55; Lui Chang Yin, 50; and Filipina Jennilyn Ramirez, 25, a resident of Igang village in Masbate City.
Officials said the arrest of the foreigners came following a report by locals to authorities on the illegal activities of the Chinese men.
Police forces led by Superintendents Glenn Dulawan and Michael Palermo, and representatives from the Bureau of Immigration and provincial and local governments headed by Richard Ligan swooped down on the village and arrested the foreigners, who were all on tourist visa.
It was unknown if the Chinese Embassy was informed about the arrest.
Just recently, police also arrested 11 Chinese poachers who were intercepted off Hasa-Hasa Shoal also known as Half Moon Shoal near Palawan province. The Chinese fishermen, who were arrested May 6, are facing charges for violating the Philippine Fisheries Law. Filipino authorities recovered more than 500 live and dried turtles from the Chinese boat when it was intercepted.
Beijing has protested the arrest of the poachers and insisted the fishermen were well within the Chinese territory – Banyue Reef – its local name for the Hasa-Hasa Shoal. (Mindanao Examiner)
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