Michael Ray Aquino named new Apex Mining director

Enrique Razon-led Apex Mining Co. Inc. has named former police official Michael Ray Aquino as its new director, based on its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.

Aquino, currently the Vice President for Security of Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., has been with the Razon Group since 2013. Bloomberry owns the Solaire Resort and Casino. Apex adds, the ex-cop is actively involved in coordination and government relations relating to the corporate social responsibility projects of the Solaire Cultural Foundation, include the Solaire ICTSI Vaccination Center (SIVC).

Apex Mining, meanwhile, was acquired by Razon late last year.

Aquino, who began his new role with Apex also on Friday, graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1988 and has a master’s degree in Government Management from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

A fomer Deputy Director of the Philippine National Police’s Intelligence Group and Operations Chief of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, Aquino gained public attention as one of the accused for the abduction and killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000. The Manila Regional Trial Court dismissed the case in 2012 for lack of evidence.

Apex owns and operates Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc. which handles the Sangilo mine in Itogon, Benguet and the Suyoc Mine in Mankayan, Benguet.

The mining company, through another subsidiary — Monte Oro Resources, Inc., also has a 30% participating interest in Service Contract 72 or the Sampaguita gas field in the Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea. Manny V. Pangilinan-led PXP Energy owns the 70% majority interest.