Palawan jail warden nabbed with 'hot' lumber on Earth Day

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- At the height of the Earth Day celebration last week, the provincial warden of Palawan was apprehended in this city for allegedly transporting illegally sawn lumber on a vehicle owned by the provincial government and driven by a murder suspect.

Provincial jail warden Reme-dio Villanueva will face administrative and criminal charges along with the murder suspect, Martin Roxas, and another inmate, Dan Joel Ramal, who were with Villanueva when they were intercepted by Puerto Princesa policemen last April 18.

They were on board a KIA Ceres van, registered with the provincial government and loaded with some 250 board feet of illegally sawn lumber, when they were intercepted near the Palawan State University in Barangay Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa City.

Chief Superintendent Lucas Managuelod, Southern Tagalog police director, immediately relieved the city's acting police chief, Inspector Edgar Madi Zabala, for releasing without authority the suspects, the seized lumber and the vehicle used in transporting it.

Managuelod also sent an investigative team to Puerto Princesa to investigate Villanueva, Zabala and Roxas.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn lauded the swift action of Managuelod whose quick response, he said, is a tribute to the professionalism that is being restored in the police force.

In a joint sworn statement, seven Puerto Princesa policemen backing up the city's Bantay Gubat personnel said that, based on a tip from a concerned citizen, they intercepted the provincial government's van which was transporting the illegally sawn lumber along the national highway.

The van, with license plate SPS 916, was being driven by Roxas, a murder suspect under detention at the provincial jail, who did not have any driver's license.

Also in the van were Villa-nueva and Ramal.

The apprehending policemen, led by SPO4 Roland Alex Almonte, said in their statement that the illegal lumber was believed being held as evidence by the Bantay Palawan operation of the provincial government.

The lumber was taken to the Puerto Princesa police station, but Inspector Pantaleon Pavila Jr. later said he was instructed by Zabala to release the suspects, the vehicle and the lumber.

For this, Zabala will be investigated along with Villanueva, according to Managuelod. If found liable, they will face administrative and criminal charges.

Ironically, the incident happened at the height of the city's celebration of Earth Day. Puerto Princesa City holds the distinction of being the country's "cleanest and greenest city."