Authorities believe that the suspects in the illegal quarry operations in Tubao River in La Union are well-funded and are being backed by an influential individual in Tubao town. The suspects were operating heavy equipment such as a LiuGong payLoader, Hyundai excavator backhoe, Sinotruck dump truck and Isuzu mini-dump truck along the Tubao-Aringay River in the municipality of Tubao, in violation of national laws and provincial ordinances. Documents provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP) named one of the suspects as Lito O. Panelo, 40, resident of Barangay Francia West, Tubao. The PNP said Panelo was the operator of the payloader.

Mayuga, J. L. (2021, October 25). ‘Well funded’ suspects nabbed in Tubao River illegal quarrying. BusinessMirror, p. A4.