A team from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) – 7 will conduct an investigation on the incident at the quarry site in barangay Tuburan Sur, Danao City.

MGB—7 Director Loreto B. Alburo ordered for the deployment of a team of geologist and safety engineer to establish facts and potential causes of the reported incident that claimed the life of a worker and injured another.

Based on the records of the Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources, the quarry permit for the area in Tuburan Sur expired on September 12, 2014 and was not renewed due to unsafe quarry operation.  Cebu Provincial Government issued a quarry permit to Ingracia Perez on September 12, 2013.

Azmir Garcia of PENRO Capitol said the extraction of limestone in the area is an illegal operation.

Department Administrative Order (DAO) 92-30 as amended in DAO 92-31 has devolved the enforcement of small scale mining laws in areas not declared as government mineral reservation to the local government units.

The provincial governor or the city mayor can issue permits for the extraction of sand and gravel and other quarry resources in areas that are not more than five hectares. Quarry resources include limestone, clay, marble, talc, gypsum, phosphate rock, barite, bentonite, feldspar, gemstone, pyrite or fertilizers, perlite, andesite, basalt among others.

“The bureau has boosted partnership with the local government units in curbing illegal mining and quarrying activities, but we cannot do this alone. We need the help of local community leaders and other stakeholders to report any questionable operations which are illegally extracting mineral resources,” Alburo said.

Legitimate quarry operations are subject to various regulations including environmental protection, safety and health of workers, as well as social or community development.

It has been reported that a man was killed, another one injured after an overhanging limestone collapsed at the quarry site.