ILIGAN CITY — Authorities intercepted a wing van truck loaded with approximately ₱2.5 million worth of suspected copper-bearing mineral ores during a checkpoint operation along the national highway in Barangay Dalipuga on the evening of April 2, 2026.
According to the Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10), the operation stemmed from a report received at around 6:40 p.m. by personnel of Police Station 3 under the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO), after a suspicious vehicle was flagged down at the Dalipuga Border Control Point (BCP) during a routine inspection.
Responding units discovered a green FUSO wing van truck carrying an estimated 500 sacks of assorted copper-bearing mineral ores. The vehicle was driven by a 25-year-old man identified only by the alias “Ethan,” a resident of Alubijid, Misamis Oriental.
Initial investigation revealed that the driver was unable to present the required permits and transport documents for the mineral cargo, raising suspicions of illegal transport. He reportedly told authorities that the shipment originated from Siayan, Zamboanga del Sur, and was bound for Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
The checkpoint operation was led by the Iligan City Mobile Force Company, with support from multiple units, including the ICPO, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Regional Intelligence Division (RID), the Regional Intelligence Unit 10 (RIU10), and the 1005th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 10 (RMFB10).
Authorities conducted an inspection and verification of the cargo in the presence of deputized personnel from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and a barangay official. Initial assessment placed the market value of the seized mineral ores at approximately ₱2.5 million.
Both the truck and its cargo were secured and turned over to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office 10 for further verification, assessment, and proper disposition in accordance with environmental laws and regulations.
PRO10 Regional Director PBGen. Christopher N. Abrahano underscored the importance of the operation, emphasizing the police force’s intensified campaign against illegal extraction and transport of natural resources in Northern Mindanao.
“This accomplishment sends a strong message that violations of environmental laws will not go unchecked. Through strengthened checkpoint operations and sustained inter-agency collaboration, we will continue to safeguard our natural resources and ensure that those involved in unlawful activities are held accountable under the law,” Abrahano said.
Authorities are expected to pursue further investigation to determine the origin, ownership, and possible network behind the transport of the mineral ores, as part of broader efforts to curb illegal mining and environmental exploitation in the region.