ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE (Mindanao Examiner / June 5, 2013) – Police have seized a huge quantity of beach pebbles and arrested 7 people who were caught illegally transporting the rocks in Zamboanga del Norte province in southern Philippines, police said Wednesday.
It said policemen and members of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from the town of Gutalac intercepted 7 men and seized from them at least 250 sacks pebbles from the seaside village of San Juan.
Police said villagers tipped off the authorities about the illegal activity of the men who were identified Lester Gongob, 20; Mercedito Tañola, 27; Julito Cordova, 23; Glen Mangubat, 29; Michael Molijon, 25; Judy Redoble, 20; and Jemar Velasco, 21, and all residents of the neighboring town of Labason.
Police also seized 310 sacks of pebbles in the nearby coastal village of Osukan where a man, Wendolino Redoble, claimed ownership of the rocks and said he had government permits to transport them.
But Redoble’s documents were insufficient to prove that the transport of pebbles is legal. Extraction or gathering of beach pebbles is illegal in the country unless this is covered by a special permit. (Mindanao Examiner)
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