Call for investigation into Mayon quarry scandal

More than 100 firms engaged in quarrying minerals from Mount Mayon while enjoying the lucrative trade are calling for an investigation into the alleged multi-million peso corruption scandal surrounding it.
From an annual average income of only P10mn a year under the old provincial ordinance, Albay is expected to have a net income of P300mn from the Mayon quarry.
As of August 30, the province already recorded a P200mn income from quarry operations.
According to Danny Garcia, spokesman of Governor Al Francis Bichara, the number of registered Mayon quarry operators has gone up to 151.
But on September 11, Albayanos were shocked by reports of a corruption scandal in the Mayon quarry revealed during the Sanguniang Panlalawigan (SP) session by the committee on housing and land use, under Board Member Howard Imperial. Imperial said based on the testimony of witnesses, some P77mn from quarrying goes to kickback, adding that from January to August, some 4mn cubic metres of Mayon aggregates have already been extracted and delivered by concessionaires within the province and outside the region to as far as Metro Manila and Mindanao.
The income-producing aggregates from Mayon, however, did not sit well on some members of the provincial board following reports of corruption scandal.
In January, provincial Board Member Rolly Rosal delivered a privilege speech describing the Mayon quarry as heavily tainted with corruption. He also lashed at the swollen increase in the rate of sand to P400 per cubic metre; worse this was not covered by SP resolution.
An investigation produced statements from witnesses that of the minimum 1,600 cubic metre delivery of sand approved by the Capitol, only 500 cubic metre is covered by a receipt issued by the city treasurer’s office in Legazpi.
With 151 firms already engaged in Mayon quarrying as concessionaires who virtually control rivers and vast portions of the foot of Mount Mayon, poor Albayanos who used to freely enjoy gathering gravel, sand and boulders in rivers complained that because of the amended quarry ordinance, they now have to buy sand from traders at P500 per cubic metre.
Rosal sponsored the amended ordinance that increases the rate of aggregates per cubic metre for sand alone, on grounds that gravel and boulders command a higher rate.
Board Member Allan Ranola said that from the usual average annual income of only P10mn from Mayon aggregates under former governor Joey Salceda, Albay already posted P77mn income early this year from its more than 50 concessionaires.
 By August, Albay quarry tax had gone up to P200mn, he added.
Salceda reportedly did not take advantage of taxes earned from quarry operations as he believed that it served the interest of Albayanos, especially the poor, to enjoy free collection through Mount Mayon.
The volcano produces first-class aggregates. Through this, inter-island vessels have crowded the ports of Albay to haul these without any limit for delivery to any part of the country. A source said many concessionaires have already expanded quarrying of gravel, sand and boulders to the higher portion of Mayon covered by the seven-kilometre Permanent Danger Zone.
During the September 11, SP committee hearing, a certain Noli Ferrer claiming to be a quarry operator exposed the kickback in the trade implicating personalities at the Capitol saying he personally delivered money to an official of the Environment and Natural Resources Office.
Ferrer said a former barangay (village) chairman in Daraga town and said to be a political officer of the governor he named as “Kapitan Bilang,” allegedly calls the shots in the quarry operation.
Kapitan Bilang, who holds office at the Capitol earned the tag among quarry operators, after having seen him often counting paper bills, according to Ferrer.
Other quarry operators corroborated Ferrer’s testimony.
Witnesses said for a minimum 1,600 cubic metres of aggregates, a concessionaire applies for delivery permit, but the Treasurer’s Office issues a receipt only for 500 cubic metre as payment.
In addition, a separate pre-paid P7 per cubic metre is allegedly imposed for local delivery to the local market and P25 per cubic metre for delivery of aggregates outside the province. According to Ferrer, the prepaid P7 and P25 per cubic metre is separate from the goodwill money one has to pay to apply for a quarry permit, adding he has been exposing the scandal on his Facebook account and must be investigated by Congress.