Lumber, sawmill accessories confiscated by DENR-police team

Operatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) field office in Catbalogan, Samar, together with some local policemen, the Philippine Army and the Samar Island Biodiversity Project raided recently the compound of lumber dealer Florencio Sablan in Brgy. San Andres, Catbalogan and confiscated what they identified as illegally sourced lumber and sawmill accessories.

Based on a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Carmelita T. Cuares of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 33 in Calbiga, Samar, the operatives recovered and seized 705 pieces or 4,206 board feet of lumber composed of lauaan species with an estimated value of P105,150 and sawmill accessories with an estimated value of P10,000.

DENR Regional Executive Director Leonardo R. Sibbaluca and Regional Technical Director for Forest Management Service Felipe S. Calub participated in the said operation.

DENR officer Manuel Ferreras of CENRO Catbalogan said Sablan is now facing criminal charges for violation of section 77, PD 705 as amended by RA 7161 otherwise known as the Forestry Code of the Philippines. The confiscated forest products and the sawmill accessories are now deposited at the SIBP compound in Catbalogan, Samar.

Sibbaluca lauded the officers of CENRO Catbalogan as well as the PNP, Philippine Army and the SIBP officers who assisted in the operation. He also thanked the vigilance of the people who gave information about this illegal activity. "The hoarding of the illegally sourced lumber was so discreed as these were stocked underneath the kitchen of the respondent’s residential house in Barangay San Andres. If not for the advanced information technology, which is through texting in cellphones and the vigilance of our people, we could not have stopped this illegal activity." Sibbaluca said.

"However, we would be much happy if there will be no more confiscation, which means that there is no more timber poaching and that our trees are left uncut in our public forests for ecological purposes. Instead we encourage our people to plant trees in our private lands as these are allowed for utilization. People who planted trees before, are now harvesting these for commercial wood requirements," Sibbaluca added.