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

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 energy and weapons.

Local officials said the group’s reported sourcing of uranium from Cebu showed the government’s weak monitoring of hazardous materials and the need to strengthen regulatory oversight.

The October 28 discovery at Mega Heights Subdivision in Cagayan de Oro raised fears of public exposure to the toxic materials. The NBI confirmed contamination inside a house and vehicle linked to Roy Vistal, the suspected leader of the syndicate, resulting in concerns about the improperly handled 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 are facing charges for violation of the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act.

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

Ten days earlier, they confiscated 20 kilos of metal bars and three kilos 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 Mandaue City in Cebu on November 8 and 9: 60 kilos of metal blocks which all tested positive for Uranium-238 and Uranium-235.

Long-term impact

The contamination’s long-term environmental impact added to the concerns. Uranium seepage can poison soil and water supplies, and residents are left worrying about the threat 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 by inhalation.

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

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

Less soluble particles, according to the NRC, can remain in the lungs for up to 16 years, delivering most of the radiation dose there. It said soluble compounds are 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 emitted by natural and depleted uranium,” the NRC said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 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 that cancer may not show up until many years after exposure to the 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 inside the body, uranium can irradiate organs, but the main health effect comes from its impact on body functions.

Security alarm

The NBI-led operations brought to public attention the risks posed by the illicit trade. 

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

Officials said it is a national security issue because if such materials fall into the wrong hands, the consequences could be disastrous. 

“Terrorist organizations are after depleted uranium to improve their weaponry,” read part of an NBI statement.

Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Director Carlo Arcilla, however, said the depleted uranium seized by authorities was insufficient to produce a bomb, and was not a cause for alarm because law enforcers found no bomb-making materials in the syndicate’s hideouts.

He told Radyo 630, “Kaya depleted ‘yan kasi napiga na ‘yung mga fissionable materials (The reason why it’s considered depleted is because the fissionable materials have been squeezed out).”

But Arcilla warned that residual powder from uranium still posed dangers if inhaled and when mixed with radiological dispersal devices.

The case may attract 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 Vistal’s Mega Heights Subdivision house in late October.

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

“I doubt if we can handle something like this at the local level because this needs expertise,” said Goking.

Regulatory and enforcement gaps

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

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

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

The operation showed weaknesses 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 across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“It’s alarming. This is a very dangerous matter, which has the potential of harming a lot of people,” said Councilor Edgar Cabanlas.

Cabanlas expressed concern over how easily hazardous materials appear to be trafficked, almost as if it’s “as simple as selling shabu.” – Rappler.com