NBI-led uranium raids expose gaps in health and safety oversight

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Raids in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Mandaue and Pasay have revealed a syndicate trafficking uranium, raising serious concerns about public health, national security and regulatory loopholes.

From October to November, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) uncovered the operations of a syndicate involving uranium-238 and uranium-235, materials used for nuclear power and weapons.

Local officials said the Cebu Uranium Supply Group’s reporting shows the government’s weak monitoring of hazardous materials and the need to strengthen regulatory oversight.

The Discovery on October 28 at Mega Heights Subdivision in Cagayan de Oro raised fears of public exposure to toxic materials. The NBI confirmed contamination inside a home and a vehicle linked to Roy Vistal, the syndicate’s alleged leader, leading to concerns about improper handling of uranium.

Authorities arrested Vistal, Mae Vergel Zagala and their associate Arnel Gimpaya Santiago on separate occasions in Pasay and Cagayan de Oro in October. They face charges of violating the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act.

In Cagayan de Oro alone, authorities found up to five kilograms of radioactive and contaminated materials. All tested positive for uranium-238 and uranium-235, according to the NBI. There, they detected surface contamination.

Ten days earlier, they seized 20 kilograms of metal bars and three kilograms of black powder — all positive for uranium-238 and uranium-235 — in Pasay City, where Zagala and Santiago were arrested. Vistal was arrested in Cagayan de Oro over a week later.

Authorities found more in Cebu’s Mandaue City on November 8 and 9: 60 kilograms of metal blocks, all of which tested positive for uranium-238 and uranium-235.

Long-term impact

The long-term impact of contamination on the environment added to the concerns. Uranium seeps can poison soil and water supplies, and residents remain concerned about the threat that is now likely embedded in their community.

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued warnings about the dangers of uranium, stressing the urgency of tightening oversight to prevent such incidents.

The NRC said uranium can enter the body through ingestion of food and water or inhalation.

Larger particles are trapped in the upper respiratory system and are either breathed out or swallowed. Smaller particles go deeper into the lungs, where the solubility of uranium compounds determines how long they stay in the body.

“Most ingested uranium is excreted in feces within days and never reaches the bloodstream. The remaining fraction will be transferred into the bloodstream. Most of the uranium in the bloodstream is excreted in the urine within a few days, but a small amount remains in the kidneys and bones and other soft tissues,” the NRC said on its website.

The less soluble particles, according to the NRC, can remain in the lungs for up to 16 years, delivering most of the radiation dose there. Soluble compounds were said to be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream, with about 10% initially concentrating in the kidneys.

“Like any radioactive material, there is a risk of developing cancer from exposure to radiation from natural and depleted uranium,” the NRC said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has set an annual dose limit of 1 millisievert (mSv) for the public and 20 mSv for radiation workers.

According to the NRC, a dose of 1 mSv increases the risk of fatal cancer by about 1 in 20,000, and cancer may not appear until many years after exposure to radioactive materials.

In large amounts, uranium can be harmful due to its chemical toxicity, and excess uranium can damage the kidneys, the NRC said. Once in the body, uranium can irradiate organs, but the main effect on health comes from its impact on body functions.

Security alarm

The operations led by the BNI brought to the public’s attention the risks posed by illicit trade.

Uranium-235, in particular, is highly radioactive and fissile, making it vulnerable to misuse in nuclear reactors or weapons.

Officials said it was a matter of national security because if such materials fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be disastrous.

“Terrorist organizations seek depleted uranium to improve their weaponry,” an NBI statement said.

Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) director Carlo Arcilla, however, said the depleted uranium seized by the authorities was not enough to make a bomband there was no cause for alarm because law enforcement found no bomb-making materials in the syndicate’s hideouts.

He told Radyo 630, “Kaya has run out of fissile materials (The reason it is considered spent is because the fissile material has been squeezed out).”

But Arcilla warned that residual uranium dust still poses dangers if inhaled and when mixed with radiological dispersal devices.

The case may draw international scrutiny as the Philippines becomes a point of concern in global nuclear trafficking.

Joseph Baltazar, a councilor in Barangay Gusa, Cagayan de Oro, said he saw at least five Americans in military uniforms among the law enforcement team that raided the Mega Heights subdivision house in Vistal in late October.

Cagayan de Oro Councilor George Goking asked the national government to create an inter-agency group to look into the matter and address the concerns. He said the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may have to step in.

“I doubt we can handle something like this locally because it takes expertise,” Goking said.

Regulatory and enforcement gaps

Goking said the incident had sparked speculation about whether the depleted uranium traffic had anything to do with plans to set up a site under Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in a neighboring town in Misamis Oriental.

EDCA, a 2014 agreement between the Philippines and the US, allows the US military to rotate troops and store defense equipment at designated Philippine bases. It aims to enhance the Philippines’ defense capabilities and promote regional security.

In late November, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro announced the government’s plans to establish a naval base at the state-run Phividec Industrial Station in Tagoloan. To be operated by the Philippine Naval Fleet Command, the planned base is considered to support military logistics in Mindanao and complement air operations at Lumbia Air Base.

The operation showed deficiencies in the enforcement of Republic Act 5207 or the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968. Despite the risks associated with uranium, the syndicate operated in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“It is alarming. This is a very dangerous matter that has the potential to harm many people,” said Councilor Edgar Cabanlas.

Cabanlas expressed concern over how easily dangerous materials seem to be trafficked, almost as if it is “as simple as selling shabu.” – Rappler.com