ILOILO – Do sand and gravel quarry operators have moles at the provincial capitol?
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said there could be and they alert the quarry operators every time the provincial government’s Anti-Over Loading Task Force has an operation.
The task force is primarily targeting overloaded cargo trucks transporting quarried sand and gravel.
In 2017, the task force apprehended over 150 trucks of quarry operators for violating Provincial Ordinance 2017-45 (Anti-Overloading Ordinance of Iloilo Province).
The ordinance prohibits from passing through provincial roads loaded six-wheeler trucks with Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of more than 16,880 kgs. or loaded 10-wheeler trucks with GVW of more than 27,250 kgs., or loaded six- or 10-wheeler trucks with an axle load of more than 13,500 kgs.
Provincial Ordinance 2017-45 aims to protect and preserve provincial roads.
According to Banias, these moles help erring quarry operators avoid being caught.
“We already have some suspects. Quarry operators have money for bribing moles,” he said.
Violators of Provincial Ordinance 2017-45 face the following penalties:
* 1st offense – fine of P3,000 or imprisonment of one month
* 2nd offense – fine of P4,000 or imprisonment of two months
* 3rd and succeeding offenses – fine of P5,000 or imprisonment of three months.
On June 5, two cargo trucks transporting quarried sand and gravel were apprehended in San Miguel town but for a different offense.
According to Banias, the trucks did not have delivery receipts.
“So ginpa-ula ang ila quarry nga karga sa San Miguel,” said Banias./PN
