Illegal logging back in Dingalan? Reports exaggerated — DENR exec

DINGALAN, Aurora — Reports that illegal logging has resurfaced in this calamity-stricken town are exaggerated, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official said yesterday.

Benjamin Miña, provincial environment and natural resources officer, told The STAR in a phone interview that the reported rampant illegal logging in this town has no solid basis, saying the recent seizure of a truckload of flitches is merely an isolated incident.

"Masyado namang exaggerated ‘yan. Isolated incident lang yon (These reports are exaggerated. It’s an isolated incident)," Miña said, referring to the confiscation last Monday of some 2,000 board feet of lumber flitches in Barangay Paltic.

Policemen and foresters apprehended the truck carrying the flitches after Fr. Antonio Evangelio of the St. Patrick Parish had tipped them off.

The flitches were hauled off by boat from Barangay Dikapanikisan in San Luis town and would have been smuggled out had the parishioners not been vigilant

Evangelio claimed that illegal logging has become rampant again in the town and most of the flitches were freshly cut.

He also alleged that in Barangay Paltic, where more than 100 people died in the landslides of 2004, trees were being felled almost on a daily basis.

A certain Johnny Daracan reportedly owned the truck. He bought it from one Elmer Susa, who was arrested.

Miña said there were, indeed, incidents of illegal cutting of trees, but are not rampant nor on a big scale.

"Di mo naman puwedeng sabihin na wala. Alam mo naman ang Pinoy mahilig magpalusot. Pero para sabihin mo na rampant, exaggerated na yon. Di kami papayag na ganyan sa Dingalan (You cannot say there is no illegal logging. You know Filipinos are fond of sneaking things out. But to say it is rampant, it’s exaggerated already. We will not allow that to happen in Dingalan)," he said.

Miña said the DENR, with the help of the Parish Pastoral Council, has seized thousands of board feet of dipterocarp species or hardwood lumber since last year.

Aurora Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo also denied the reported rampant illegal logging in San Luis town.

She said the DENR has been doing a great job in apprehending illegal loggers as proven in last Monday’s operations.

Like jueteng, Miña said illegal forest activities here were being done "guerrilla-style."

Miña said the DENR has seized 35,701.51 board feet of dipterocarp species, 124 sacks of charcoal, a truck and one 6 x 6 boom truck since last year.

He attributed the success of the DENR’s anti-illegal logging efforts to the vigilance of local groups.