“Dumaan sa proseso ang pagsasagawa ng exploration activity” — MGB on Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya mining standoff

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The mining exploration activity being conducted by a company in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya went through the required processes and consultations, according to Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region II Director Mario Ancheta.

Ancheta made the statement in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas Tuguegarao on August 30, 2026 amid the continuing tension between anti-mining residents and the mining company operating in the area.

“Dumaan sa proseso ang pagsasagawa ng exploration activity,” Ancheta underscored in said interview, explaining that there are certifications covering the consultations conducted in connection with the exploration activity.

Acheta likewise clarified that the protesters can air their sentiments but that they do it in the right process, like taking legal actions and not take matters in their own hands.

Ancheta's statement comes amid a series of confrontations at community barricades in Kasibu, where residents opposing the mining activity have clashed with authorities over access to the exploration area.

The latest confrontation resulted in the arrest of 13 anti-mining protesters, according to reports, after a standoff at a barricade blocking vehicles reportedly heading toward the mining exploration site.

Police have denied allegations that they were favoring the mining company, saying their personnel were performing their duties to maintain peace and order.

The residents opposing the project, meanwhile, have raised concerns over the possible effects of mining exploration on their land, livelihood and environment.

The MGB, as the government agency tasked with regulating and monitoring mining activities, has maintained that mining operations and exploration activities must comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

With tensions continuing in Kasibu, Ancheta's statement puts the regulatory agency's position into focus: the exploration activity, according to the MGB official, was not undertaken without going through the required procedures and consultations.

The dispute, however, remains unresolved as discussions among the concerned communities, local officials, authorities and the mining company continue.