NBI, DENR seize half a million worth of precious rocks in Cavite

Authorities on Wednesday seized more than half a million worth of stone formations in a store in Cavite.

A report by Emil Sumangil on "Balitanghali" said athe raid was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after one of its agents bought items from the store, which was selling rocks from caves called "Speleothem."

The agent brought the items to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for tests.

The DENR had confirmed that the rocks were stalactites and stalagmites from underground caves that take centuries to form.

"Bumili ako ng dalawang piraso ng tinatawag nilang filters, na nung dinala ko naman sa DENR, sa Biodiversity Bureau, kinonfirm ng mga expert nila na galing talaga sa loob, may resibo pa," the NBI agent said.

The owner of the store said that her shop had a permit and that the rocks, which were part of a collection, were not for sale.

The rocks were priced from P250 to P10,000 each, the report said.

The Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act said taking rocks from the caves and selling them for profit were illegal.

"The mere possession, or the mere intent to trade is an inexorable wrong," Rogelio Demeltes Jr., tech consultant from DENR said.

"Kahit ilang beses pa tayo ipanganak 'di natin maaabutan ito eh, kasing tanda na ito ng mundo natin," he added.

Authorities also said that aside from the physical destruction of the caves, obtaining the rocks also has a negative impact on the caves' ecosystems.

"Yun po kasing collection and destruction nito sa cave ecosystem nakakaapekto sa mga naninirahan doon sa loob," an undercover agent said. —Jessica Bartolome/ALG, GMA News