MISAMIS Oriental Special Assistant to the Governor Celso ‘Popoy’ Abocejo has firmly denied allegations linking him to an illegal quarry operation in the eastern town of Medina.
Recent social media posts accused the Capitol official of orchestrating the extraction and shipment of boulders to Agusan without legal documentation. The posts alleged Abocejo arranged for a barge to dock at a private wharf in Barangay Maanas to transport the quarry products, despite lacking an Ore Transport Permit (OTP) or authority from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
In a phone interview, Abocejo dismissed the claims as “not credible,” attributing the posts to trolls and fake accounts.
He categorically stated he does not own a quarry, has no connection to the shipping vessel, and holds no authority over port operations to arrange docking privileges.
Abocejo argued that the sheer scale of the operation makes secrecy impossible. He pointed out that dump trucks and barges are too large to move unnoticed by authorities.
“Kung illegal, naa may mayor, naay police, naay DENR, naay PPA, naay task force quarry naa pay barangay kapitan, nganong dili man dakpon,” Abocejo said.
He reasoned that if the trucks passing through public roads were truly carrying illegal quarry products, it would be easy for law enforcement to spot the activity, arrest the violators, and confiscate the equipment.
Local officials in Medina have begun to react to the controversy.
Barangay Chairman Rolando B. Ucat of Maanas, where the private wharf is located, said he intends to summon the wharf owner to clarify the issue.
Meanwhile, Municipal Councilor Arthur Cahoy called for a review of all relevant documents. He urged a revisit of permits regarding the transportation of quarry products and the wharf’s operations to determine if they are valid or have expired.
