ILLEGAL LEAD RECYCLING: 11 CHINESE NATIONALS NABBED, P19.5-M AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES SEIZED IN PAMPANGA

BY KEVIN GALANG

SAN SIMON, Pampanga —Eleven Chinese nationals were arrested by the authorities for alleged violations of environmental and public health laws involving hazardous waste and illegal recycling of automotive batteries while over P19 million worth of items were seized in operations on Wednesday and Thursday in an industrial compound in San Simon, Pampanga.

A report to Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez showed the operation at the Global Aseana Business Park 1 in Bgy. Dela Paz was part of the  “Oplan MEGASHOPPER” drive.

Joint operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 3 (CIDG RFU3) Regional Special Operations Team as the lead unit,  Pampanga Police Forensic Unit, Regional Special Operations Group 3, and the San Simon Municipal Police Station conducated the operation based on a search warrant.

Arrested were the alleged owner and workers of the facility identified only with their aliases “Liu,” 30; “Yang,” 35; “Qui,” 33; “Bin,” 31; “Hao,” 46; “Qi,” 55; “Chen,” 63; “Lee,” 34; “Ma,” 64; “Sheng,” 48; and “Hai,” 50. 

Prior to the raid, police received an information from a confidential informant who reported that used automotive batteries were being processed in the facility to extract lead. 

The informant also claimed that hazardous waste generated from the recycling process was being improperly dumped behind a warehouse, posing possible risks to the environment and nearby communities.

CIDG RFU3 chief Col. Grant Gollod said they conducted surveillance and validation operations which led to the confiscation of various equipment and materials believed to be used in the operation.

Seized were two plastic battery crusher machines, three Heli forklifts, 40 pieces of 4D junk car batteries, 180 pieces of 3SM junk car batteries, 180 pieces of 2SM junk car batteries, 50 pieces of 1SM junk car batteries, 55 pieces of large industrial batteries, 180 small industrial batteries, and around 700 e-bike batteries worth at least P6,087,600.

In another warehouse, operatives recovered one furnace or “pugon,” two Heli forklifts, 18 jumbo bags of stone coal, 10 metal molds, and approximately 8,950 kilograms of finished lead products valued at P13,426,500.

The total estimated amount of all seized items reached P19,514,100.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 are being readied for filing in court against the suspects.