DENR confiscates 'hot' forest products

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has confiscated at least P15 million worth of “hot” forest products in four provinces, as it launched its heightened “summer offensive” against illegal logging activities, which are said to be “on the rise” before and during the observance of Holy Week in the country.

Some 528,254 board feet were recently intercepted in Zamboanga del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Nueva Ecija and La Union, according to DENR Secretary Lito Atienza. These four provinces are considered among the “illegal logging hotspots” in the country that is being watched by the environment agency.

“I have placed all DENR field forestry officers on alert against illegal logging activities, which are said to be on the rise, particularly before and during the observance of the Holy Week, as timber poachers take advantage of the long break,” the DENR chief said.  

Earlier, Atienza ordered all 16 regional executive directors (REDs) of the DENR to closely monitor illegal logging activities in their respective jurisdictions, as he warned them that they will be held accountable under his one-strike policy for any shipment of undocumented timber, which origin, including the transport route taken to its intended destination, fall within their respective areas.

He directed the REDs to be “extra vigilant” or face sanctions for negligence of duty.

In Zamboanga del Sur, DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rito Ordiz reported the confiscation of some 42,400 board feet of abandoned falcata logs and two chainsaws at Barangay Dagum in Lakewood municipality; while a week-long operation that started on March 23 along the Agusan River in the remote forested town of Esperanza in Agusan del Sur netted around 5,000 pieces of “hot” lauan logs, which were being rafted downstream toward Butuan City in Agusan del Norte.

DENR Caraga RED Edilberto Buiser said scrupulous financiers even hired members of a cultural community, Higaonon, to tow the contraband hidden along the riverbanks in several tributaries of the 117-kilometer river and were intercepted at a chokepoint in Esperanza.

Buiser noted the cooperation of Agusan del Sur Gov. Ma. Valentin Plaza and Caraga Conference for Peace and Development head Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos as “the key factors in the recent apprehension.”

Anti-illegal logging operation

The anti-illegal logging operation in Zamboanga del Sur was carried out by composite teams of the DENR and operatives from the Agusan del Sur provincial government and Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Region 13.

The seized logs are now impounded at the DENR compound in Butuan City.

Additionally, 548 pieces of narra and teak flitches, measuring 8,225 board feet, were apprehended aboard a 20-foot Isuzu container van at a checkpoint in Pugo town in La Union, which was jointly manned by local DENR and PNP personnel, late last month.

The DENR said the van was opened only on March 27 after a search warrant was secured from the Municipal Trial Court of Tubao, La Union resulting in the discovery that the documents presented by the owner of the lumber were spurious based on a certification issued by the DENR office in La Trinidad, Benguet, where the timber products were declared to have originated, as indicated in the permits.

DENR-Region I RED Corazon Davis even reported that the owner’s lawyer, identified as Ludwig Orille, allegedly offered P50,000 to the apprehending officers purportedly in exchange for the expulsion of the case against his client, identified as a certain Demetri Takio. 

The lawyer also allegedly tried to talk authorities into releasing the van with its cargo.

Davis, however, said this incident prompted the officers to report the bribe offer to the PNP-Pugo station where it was recorded for another possible case of bribery to be filed against Takio’s lawyer.