6 arrested for illegal transport of wood

CEBU, Philippines - Six persons were arrested and several planks of magkuno or iron wood worth P1.2 million were seized by the Argao City police yesterday morning in Barangay Poblacion.

Large and small planks of Magkuno, classified as a Philippine iron wood, were confiscated by the police in a pump boat manned by six persons.

Now detained at the Argao police stockade are Jerry Torres, 32, boat captain; Crispin Palapos, 49; and Joemar Ejoc, 32, all from Surigao del Norte. Also arrested were Daryl Reyes, 25; Jerry Rowayana, 26; and Joseph Gonzales, 30, all from Surigao del Sur.

They will be charged for violation of Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.

In the inventory of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, there were four pieces of 4x20 and several small planks of magkuno. The forest price of the said planks was estimated at P800,000 and their market price, P1.2 million.

Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, Argao police chief, said the assorted wood reportedly came from Surigao del Sur and were intended to be delivered in Cebu City when they found them in the seawaters of the said barangay.

The pump boat reportedly had an engine problem so the men remained floating in the seawaters until they almost reached the shore.

The police who saw the pump boat rushed to the shore to check if they were illegal fishers or if they needed help.

“Akong gipangutana unsa nang gitabunan wa man maningog dayon… amo na lang gyu’ng gitan-aw,” Batobalonos said. (We asked them what was it that they were covering, but no one answered that’s why we checked.)

When the police asked for documents, the men failed to show any.

Batobalonos told The FREEMAN that the boat was expected to arrive in Sibonga town yesterday but because of engine problem they instead docked in Argao.  (FREEMAN)