8 foreigners nabbed for alleged illegal mining in Dinapigue, Isabela

Eight foreigners have been arrested for alleged illegal mining in Dinapigue, Isabela.

According to a statement by the Bureau of Immigration on Thursday, seven Chinese and one Taiwanese were arrested during a crackdown operation in Sitio Dimakawal, Barangay Bukal Norte on Tuesday.

The will face charges for working without a permit of visa, being undocumented, and working outside their petitioning company. 

They are currently detained at the BI detention facility in Taguig pending deportation proceedings.

The BI said that they received reports of foreign nationals conducting copper and gold mining in the area.

“Illegal mining not only destroys our environment but also deprives our country of valuable natural resources… Foreign nationals who come here to exploit our land without respect for our laws will face arrest, detention, and deportation. This is a clear message that the Philippines will not tolerate such activities,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.

Earlier, the BI also nabbed nine Chinese workers for illegally mining in Masbate. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News