PRO 8 invigorates anti-illegal logging campaign

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
August 28, 2012

CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte  –  The Police Regional Office 8 intensified its campaign against illegal logging as part of its commitment to save the environment.

“We stepped-up this campaign to the spirit and intent of Executive order No. 23 issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III as part of his flagship program on environment protection,” PCSUPT Elmer Ragadio Soria, PRO 8 Regional Director said.

Just recently, on August 24, 2012, elements of Northern Samar Provincial Public Safety Company under PCINSP Reynaldo Cantiga Cabahug, while conducting checkpoint at Barangay Molave, Catarman, Northern Samar intercepted an Isuzu six (6) wheeler truck bearing plate number XLS 554 with six (6) persons on board for violation of Republic Act 7161 otherwise known as the “Forestry Code of the Philippines”.

The Regional Director identified the suspects as Neptali Trongcoso Tan, a businessman from Barangay Polangi; Eladio and Erwin Dadia Demakiling, businessman and a driver, respectively from Barangay Baybay; Leonardo Salvacion Mercader, 24 years old and Francisco Tonog Vilanueva, 45 years old, both helpers and residents of Barangay Polangi; Eduardo Cabacang Lopez, 47 years old, married and a resident of Sitio Hilan-agan, Barangay Somoge, all of Catarman, Northern Samar.

The police team confiscated the following illegally sawn lumbers, to wit: two hundred (200) pieces 2x3x10; eighty (80) pieces 2x2x12 and ten (10) pieces 1x10x10, all of Lawaan species with an estimated market value of P23,250.

Subject persons and the confiscated items were brought to Northern Samar Police Provincial Office for safekeeping and proper disposition.

On the same day, at about 6:30 PM, Marabut Police Station received a call from an informant reporting about illegally cut lumbers ready for transport at Km. 22, Barangay Tinabanan, Marabut, Samar.

Immediately, operatives of Marabut Police Station led by PCISNP Mariano L Callera together with the Marabut “Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force” / LGU Personnel proceeded to said area to confirm the veracity of the report.

Upon arrival, the team recovered an abandoned Forty-four (44) pieces illegally cut lumbers of Red Lawaan species in various dimensions at approximately 1,500 Board Feet with an estimated market value of Forty Thousand Pesos (P40,000).

Recovered lumbers are now in the custody of the Marabut Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force under the supervision of Atty. Percival A. Ortillo, Municipal Mayor and Vice Chairman of said task force subject for scaling by the CENRO Personnel based at Sta. Rita, Samar.

Relatedly, on August 26, in Brgy. Mabini, Macrohon, Southern Leyte, police team led by PINSP Demetrio Geniza, Chief of Police, responded to alleged illegal activity in the area. However, suspects already fled and left behind newly sawn lumber of Molave (tugas) species in different dimension, to wit: three pieces 4x8x5 and 2 pieces 2x4x8 with a total volume of 50.65 board-feet with estimated market value of P3,780.

Abandoned coconut lumbers in different dimensions were also recovered in Brgys. Digahungan and Talinhugon, Dagami, Leyte by a police team led by PSINSP Romulo G. Alvarina with total of 383.4 boardfeet on August 26.