Cebu Provincial Police Director Carmelo Valmoria has given a special instruction for police to include on their priority list the strict enforcement of environment laws.
Valmoria said he has directed all police stations across the province to implement the flagship programs of the PNP, as regards environmental protection like the “Oplan Kalikasan.”
“Oplan Kalikasan” aims to enforce laws that prohibit the illegal extraction of sand, gravel, stones; illegal fishing; illegal cutting of trees; and the illegal transporting and selling of coconuts and the like.
Valmoria’s directive came shortly after police from Carcar City arrested four men for cutting Olayan trees without permit last Thursday in sitio Tabla, barangay Buenavista, Carcar.
A team composed of SPO2 Aurelio Luzano, SPO1 Aldrin Abayabay, PO3 Vicente Garces and PO2 Paulino Sanchez arrested suspects Roy Pongaotan, 20, of Carmen, Danao City; Jeffrey Barbieros, 26, and Jonathan Barbieros, 22, of Valladolid, Carcar; and Christopher Aleonar, 30, of Poblacion II, Carcar. The four allegedly failed to present any legal authorization on the cutting.
The police confiscated 16 branches of the Olayan tree and one chainsaw blade.
A day before that, another group of Carcar City policemen seized one cargo truck of sand and gravel pursuant to a complaint raised by Can-asujan barangay captain Lito Castañares.
PO2 Nelson Gascon, PO3 Jeoville Bacarias, and PO1 Gelmer Noval seized a cargo truck with 18 sacks of illegally extracted sand and gravel from Sitio Langub. The vehicle used was marked Joesand Coco Lumber and General Merchandize reportedly owned by couple Noel and Sandra Estillore.
Meanwhile, Bantay Dagat members Marcelino Cuizon and Eugene Dosdos of Borbon town also confiscated a small fishing boat owned by a certain Timson Caballero, who was caught fishing in a fish sanctuary with a fine mesh net.
Fishing in a protected area using a fine net both violates environmental laws. Caballero, however, eluded arrest. — Ferliza C. Contratista/JMO