NBI, PAOCC Expose Industrial Threat: Radioactive Materials, Substandard Steel Endanger Public Safety

(Photo courtesy: NBI)

NBI, PAOCC Expose Industrial Threat: Radioactive Materials, Substandard Steel Endanger Public Safety

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | July 28, 2026

PAMPANGA, Philippines – A chilling discovery in Magalang, Pampanga, on July 18, 2026, has revealed a significant threat to national infrastructure and public health. A joint investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) uncovered an illicit operation involving the unlawful possession and use of radioactive materials, along with the widespread manufacture and distribution of substandard steel products.

This intelligence-led operation, conducted by the NBI-Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives and Foreign Malign Influence Unit (CFMIU), culminated in the execution of a search warrant at CHUANGXING STEEL INCORPORATED. The findings are staggering: over Php 3 billion worth of radioactive-contaminated production equipment, hazardous materials, and finished substandard steel products were seized. The raid also resulted in the immediate arrest of four company officers and the protection of 347 Filipino and 37 Chinese workers from serious industrial hazards.

The meticulously coordinated operation, supported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Coast Guard CBRN Units, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Magalang Local Government Unit, has decisively halted the flow of potentially catastrophic construction materials. These materials, deceptively marketed, posed a significant threat, capable of being incorporated into critical infrastructure projects – from homes, schools, and hospitals to bridges, airports, and military installations – jeopardizing the very foundations of the nation.

Further inspections revealed numerous labor and occupational safety violations. Workers at CHUANGXING STEEL INCORPORATED faced wage-related infractions, were denied mandatory benefits, and operated without essential Occupational Safety and Health programs or qualified safety personnel. Inadequate personal protective equipment and unsafe practices created a dangerous working environment.

The human cost of this illicit operation is already evident. Out of 323 workers accounted for, ten individuals showed suspected occupational radiological exposure, confirmed by PNRI’s detection of alpha and gamma-emitting radioactive materials within the facility. The Department of Health (DOH) has since initiated comprehensive radiological evaluations and recommended long-term medical surveillance for those affected.

In a decisive move, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the immediate cessation of all operations, citing an “imminent, grave, and potentially irreversible danger to worker safety, public health, and environmental integrity.”

Investigators also uncovered a disturbing array of undeclared metallurgical capabilities, including a separate furnace, at least six industrial lathe machines, and other heavy metalworking equipment. The discovery of tungsten pellets, with no apparent connection to the company’s declared manufacturing process, further fueled suspicions of a clandestine operation. Even more alarming was the documentation of coins being melted for industrial use, highlighting a blatant disregard for legal and ethical manufacturing practices.

Based on the compelling evidence, authorities have established probable cause that CHUANGXING STEEL INCORPORATED unlawfully possessed, processed, stored, transported, and utilized radioactive industrial materials without the requisite licenses, permits, and regulatory authorizations mandated by Philippine law. Concurrently, the company was actively manufacturing and distributing reinforcing steel bars that failed to meet mandatory Philippine National Standards, endangering construction projects nationwide.

The NBI has formally recommended the prosecution of twelve company officers, incorporators, and stockholders, including the four arrested during the raid. They face charges for severe violations of Republic Act No. 12305 (Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act), Republic Act No. 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act), Presidential Decree No. 1586, Republic Act No. 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act), Republic Act No. 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines), and other applicable statutes. This investigation underscores the government’s commitment to dismantling criminal enterprises that jeopardize national security, public well-being, and environmental integrity.

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