TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-8) here admitted that illegal gravel and sand mining and extraction along the shores of Leyte is rampant.

This, despite the fact that such acts are punishable by law under R.A. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

MGB-8 legal officer Pastor Salazar told Leyte Samar Daily Express they have already identified some illegal operators along the coastal towns of Leyte extracting sand and gravel and without permit from the local governments or from their office.

Salazar admitted that the number of valuators continues to rise as majority of them are without viable jobs to feed their families.

He pointed out that unless those people will have other jobs as replacement of their present source of living, which is illegal gravel and sand extraction and mining, they can’t be stopped.

Salazar also said the apprehending officers they have deputized to cease in the illegal operations are not many.

However, as a response t o this, Gov. Jericho Petilla has requested MGB-8 to renew the deputation of a 15-man team named “Task Force Sand and Gravel” that would neutralize illegal gravel and sand extraction in the province of Leyte.

Certain local government employees and policemen were also deputized for this purpose in the following municipalities in Leyte: Palo, Tanauan, Alang-alang, Javier, Baybay, Albuera, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and Julita.

At present, MGB-8 is the only agency in the region that has the authority to deputize people that would apprehend illegal gravel and sand extraction operators because the provincial government of Leyte has yet to formulate an ordinance on this .