“OPLAN HULI” UP AGAINST HYDRAULICKING OPERATORS
In a bid to stop all illegal hydraulicking operations within the Iponan River Watershed, a team composed of forty five(45) personnel from MGB 10, CENRO-Initao, 4th Infantry Division/Philippine Army, NBI 10, 10TH PNP Regional Mobile Group and Opol PNP Station was commissioned to conduct “Operation Huli” on February 13, 2009. This activity was hatched by the Technical Working Group of the Regional Minerals Development Council chaired by OIC RD Juanito A. Manzano, Jr of MGB-10, after a series of meetings held at DENR Region 10. The recurring problem of heavy siltation of Iponan River due to absence of forest vegetation and hydraulicking was believed to be a contributory factor to the flooding that recently hit Cagayan de Oro City. This prompted the RMDC-10 now chaired by DENR-10 RED Ernesto G. Adobo, Jr. to take steps in trying to stop the illegal hydraulicking in the upstream sections of Iponan River. This action is in support to the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) to all illegal and irresponsible mining operation/hydraulicking in the Iponan Watershed issued by OIC Regional Director, MGB-10 on February 13, 2009.
After a short briefing given by the OIC, Chief of Mine Management Division, MGB-10, Engr Rodante Felina and CENR Officer Ronald D. Gadot, Sr., the team on board of one pick-up, one dump truck and one six-by-six army truck immediately proceeded to Domalokdok River, a major tributary of Iponan River, and one of the target areas specified by the CENR Officer. The weather was bad and the very slippery access road that only the six-by-six army truck was able to reach the area. The other two (2) vehicles got stalled at this muddy-slippery portion of the road at Brgy. Pagalungan.
While the six-by-six truck was negotiating the road, the team spotted an active hydraulicking operation at the hillside in Barangay Pigsag-an. The subject area was immediately searched and investigated resulting to the confiscation of two (2) rolls of PVC water pipes and a sluice box. The motorized water pump or water pumps were no longer in place. It would be possible that the water pumps had been dismantled and concealed before the team arrived. Most of the workers were women and children.
At the target area in Domalokdok River, Barangay Tumpagon, the team discovered a relatively large scale hydraulicking operation covering more or less a hectare of pits and trenches. Some of these mine workings were newly excavated suggesting that the area had been abandoned by the operators probably just one day before the conduct of this investigation. According to some residents, the subject area was being operated by a certain Diosdado Dagsaan. Confiscated from this area was a 100-meter long PVC water pipe. Motorized water pumps were no longer in place. However, as the team was about to leave the place, some members of the team had chanced upon two (2) motorized water pumps inside a makeshift hut near the Domalokdok Bridge. The NBI representative advised the team that the pumps can not be confiscated because they were not in actual use when found. 
Under these circumstances, it is highly probable that the illegal hydraulicking operators had already been informed about this “OPLAN HULI”, thus, the team was having a hard time running after them. In order for the team to effect a serious blow against these operators, it is recommended that a Court Order should be issued for the confiscation of all tools and equipment even if they are not in actual use in the hydraulicking operations.
The team also observed another active hydraulicking site approximately 2-3 km across the Iponan River in Barangay Nangkaon, Opol, Misamis Oriental. Unfortunately, the team was not able to reach the area due to time constraint and absence of access road.