Illegal logger gets six years in prison

CEBU, Philippines - A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for illegal logging in the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve Area in 2006.

Judge Meinrado Paredes of Regional Trial Court Branch 13 found Rolando Carziano guilty of violating Section 77 of Presidential Decree No. 705 or known as the Philippine Environment Laws yesterday.

Carziano was identified as one of the loggers who cut Gemelina and Mahogany trees in the forest reserve on July 5, 2006.

The estimated cost of the damage was P33,072.

That day around 5 a.m. Department of Environment and Natural Resources forest rangers Magdaleno Lugod, Raul Pasoc, Serge Mamites and Diosdado Carillo conducted an operation against illegal loggers in Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, the Central Cebu National Park, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve and the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve Area.

The three areas are also collectively known as Central Cebu Protected Landscape.

The patrol eventually came across a group of people cutting trees and asked them if they had permits.

The men ran away but were later arrested; they were identified as Carziano, Joseph Pacaña, Albert Baculi and Jessie Guisando. They all left behind bolos allegedly used to fell the trees.

The forest rangers took photographs of the fallen trees which were planted by students and were about eight to nine years old.

All evidence taken were brought by the forest rangers to support and proved that the crime was committed.

On August 23, 2006 Carziano pleaded not guilty to the crime charged. A pre-trial conference was conducted but the suspect failed to sign the pre-trial order.

To prove its case the prosecution presented forest ranger Lugod and Pasoc and DENR employee Nolito Lapinig.

Baculi already pleaded guilty to the crime on June 26, 2007, Joseph Pacaña and Jessie Guisando also pleaded guilty to the crime charged on August 23, 2009.   (FREEMAN NEWS)