LAOAG CITY--The Ilocos Norte Provincial Board is set to make some amendments to a previously crafted ordinance criminalizing theft of minerals.
From an administrative charge or a maximum fine of PHP12,000 for violators of the provincial quarry ordinance, Provincial Board member Vicentito Lazo said Thursday there is a need to file criminal charges against offenders.
“This is to give more teeth to the quarry ordinance and to send a clear message that we no longer tolerate commission of quarry thievery,” Lazo said.
Quarrying is one of the top local revenue sources in the province with a total collection of PHP6 million in 2016.
Despite increasing infrastructure projects being implemented in the different parts of the province, it has been observed that the collection from quarry has been depreciating for over a period of time.
“We have numerous construction projects yet there is no substantial quarry fee increase. We tried to ask for the volume of production but it has not been completely addressed up to now,” said Lazo, citing that the Department of Public Works and Highways has downloaded about PHP3 billion worth of projects but based on the assessed volume of sand and gravel need, “it is a far cry from what is being paid” to the coffers of the government.
Of the total quarry permittees in Ilocos Norte, Lazo has accused a global sand exporter, Omnico Natural Resources Inc. (ONRI) with a private port in Currimao town, of allegedly shortchanging the Ilocos Norte government in terms of payment on sand and gravel extractions.
To date, ONRI is extracting sand and gravel in Sarrat town covering 365 hectares along the Padsan River.
Lazo said the firm is merely paying for the “finished” product while other local permittees pay gross extractions.
“Is Omnico a sacred cow among the permittees? We should resolve this or else we would be remiss in our duty as lawmakers,” he added. (PNA)
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