VIRAC, Catanduanes — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Catanduanes has urged the Catanduanes Police Provincial Office (CPPO), Caramoran Municipal Police Station, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), and other concerned agencies to conduct a swift, impartial, and evidence-based investigation into the death of a miner reportedly linked to alleged illegal mining activities in Caramoran.
The call was contained in a resolution approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and introduced by Acting Provincial Board Member Joseph Mendoza, seeking to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and hold accountable anyone found to have violated the law.
The resolution was prompted by the tragedy that occurred on the evening of July 27, 2026, when 23-year-old Michael Jay San Juan, a resident of Barangay Datag East, Caramoran, was killed after being buried by a landslide while reportedly digging in an area believed to be an illegal mining site known as “Macacaw,” a remote and forested area in Barangay San Isidro, San Andres, Catanduanes.
Marlon Collantes Buenavente, 38, a resident of Barangay Obi, Caramoran, was injured after being partially buried by soil but was rescued by his companions. Buenavente’s 16-year-old son, a Grade 9 student, also escaped unharmed and immediately sought help, prompting the rescue operation.
Based on the initial investigation conducted by the Caramoran Municipal Police Station, authorities received a report at 4:39 a.m. on July 28 from Barangay Captain Leoncio N. Zuniega Jr. of Barangay Obi regarding the incident, which reportedly occurred at around 7:00 p.m. on July 27.
The investigation indicated that the victims were reportedly digging a deep hole in the forested area of Macacaw when the soil suddenly collapsed, burying them. Police personnel immediately responded and coordinated with the Municipal Health Office and the Provincial Forensic Unit (PFU)/Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) to conduct a crime scene investigation and determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
The resolution, however, clarified that authorities have not officially confirmed that the incident was directly connected to illegal mining. Nevertheless, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan stressed the importance of a thorough and impartial investigation to determine whether any violations of mining and environmental protection laws may have occurred.
The resolution also called for strengthened enforcement of existing laws against illegal mining and improved coordination among concerned government agencies to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to Mendoza, the resolution seeks to ensure a prompt, fair, and evidence-based investigation to provide justice to the victim and his family while promoting accountability and protecting the province’s environment.
— Richard Santiago
Bicol Peryodiko Integrated News
