3 face charges for cutting trees without permit

CEBU, Philippines - Three people are facing criminal complaints before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor's Office for alleged illegal cutting of trees.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has filed the complaint against Aurelio Panerio and two unidentified companions for cutting Molave trees in Argao town without securing the necessary permit.

DENR employees Jeffrey Daugdaug and Martino Camello said the suspects have cut a total volume of 4,999.25 board feet of molave trees on February 20, 2013.

Daugdaug and Camello, who are designated as forest protection officers, said in their joint affidavit that they received information about illegal cutting of trees in Barangay Talaytay prompting them to verify the report.

“Upon arrival in the area, at a distance not too close to the location of the trees being cut, we personally caught/saw Aurelio “Ariel Bungi” Panerio on the act of cutting the Molave tree,” the DENR employees said.

Daugdaug and Camello said the suspects were able to escape upon seeing them coming. The suspects however have to face criminal complaint for violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 as renumbered under Republic Act 7161.  (FREEMAN)