Illegal logging continues in Nueva Ecija

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – Despite the government’s supposed massive crackdown against illegal logging operations at the Gen. Tinio-Doña Remedios Trinidad watershed, illegal loggers continue to cut trees in the area. Recently, government operatives recovered some 10,000 board feet of hot logs in Gen. Tinio town by Armymen from the 7th Infantry Division (7th ID).

Maj. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., commanding general of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division based here, said the hot logs were recovered by his men recently at the Minalungao National Park.

He said the logs were freshly cut but abandoned by illegal loggers apparently still operating in the area.

The discovery of the freshly cut logs had dispelled allegations that the government had succeeded in its attempt to stop the two-decades old illegal logging activities within the watershed area and in Gen. Tinio.

Last June 15, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through then-Secretary Elizea Gozun gave illegal loggers in Gen. Tinio a 15-day deadline to stop their illegal logging activities in exchange for livelihood package from the DENR, the provincial government and the municipal government.

Government authorities have sounded confident they have succeeded in licking the illegal logging problem in Gen. Tinio which for decades has been the principal source of livelihood of many families.

Esperon said that with the discovery of the freshly cut logs, they will intensify their campaign against illegal logging. "I am deputized by the DENR to do just that," he said, adding that he will deploy Army troops from the whole division to ensure that no illegal logging activities will be conducted in the watershed area.

He said the 7th ID will establish checkpoints in the remaining suspected cutting areas to prevent illegal loggers from resuming their activities.

Esperon said it is highly possible that communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels are also engaging in illegal logging activities as a source of funds for their operations. – Manny Galvez