Governor Amado Espino of Pangasinan Province is facing trial for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act [R.A.] No. 3019) before the Sandiganbayan, in connection with the illegal black sand mining operations along the Lingayen Gulf in Barangay Sabangan, Lingayen, Pangasinan.
Included in the charge sheet are Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan and Provincial Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Officer Alvin Bigay, along with the board of directors of private mining companies/contractors Alexandra Mining and Oil Ventures, Inc. (AMOVI) and Xypher Builders, Inc. (XBI); namely, Cesar Derata, Edwin Alcazar, Lolita Bolayog, Denise Ann Sia Kho Po, Annalyn Detera, Cynthia Camara, Glenn Subia, Michael Ramirez, Gina Alcazar and Avery Pujol.
In a 12-page Joint Order which denied the motions for reconsideration of the respondents, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales maintained that AMOVI and XBI were given unwarranted benefits by the respondent public officials resulting to the loss of minerals in the amount of P10,750,000.00.
It may be recalled that in 2014, the Environmental Ombudsman recommended the filing of two counts of violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 against Espino, et al. for issuing government permits to AMOVI and XBI allowing them to conduct magnetite and mineral extractions activities, and to recover magnetite sands during or incident to their soil remediation operations in the site area of the two 18-hole golf course within the protected areas of barangay Sabangan, despite the lack of Environment Compliance Certificate and non-registration of AMOVI and XBI with the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, while Alexandra Mining is not a registered business establishment in Lingayen.
Under Presidential Proclamation No. 1258 (1998), the Lingayen Gulf, along with 184 hectares of barangays Sabangan, Estanza, Malimpuec and Capandanan was declared by former President Fidel Ramos as environmentally critical areas.##