A person selling wood chips sourced from an endangered tree species was arrested in Quezon City by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Tuesday.
NBI Officer-In-Charge Director Eric Distor identified the arrested suspect as Rafael Fabia.
Distor said Fabia was arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by agents of the NBI’s Environmental Crime Division (NBI-EnCD) in North Fairview, Quezon City.
During the operation, NBI-EnCD operatives posed as buyers seeking to buy P40,000 worth of wood chips from the suspect.
“The operatives seized 6.46 kilograms of Agarwood chips with an estimated market value of Php 1,055,557.54,” the NBI said in a statement.
The NBI said Argarwood is “a forest product categorized as an endangered species.”
The Bureau said the operation was conducted after receiving intelligence information about a group trading Agarwood in North Fairview.
Following his arrest, the suspect was presented for inquest before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for violating Presidential Decree 705 or the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines as amended by Executive Order 277; Republic Act 7161, the Wildlife Forestry Code of the Philippines; and RA 9147,Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
The suspect faces fines amounting to P10,555,575.40 which represents the market value, forest charges and environmental damages of the forest products possessed and transported without permit.