PRO-13 nets P218,000 hot lumber


BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office-13 seized illegally cut lumber and flitches worth a total of P218,060.71 in Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur on Tuesday, November 6, and Friday, November 10.

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THE Police Regional Office-13 and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources inspect seized illegally cut flitches and lumber in Caraga region. (PRO-13 RPIO via Mike U. Crismundo)

Police, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), arrested nine suspected illegal loggers in eight anti-illegal logging operations in the two provinces.

Seven led to the apprehension of these nine individuals and one resulted in the recovery of abandoned forest products.

Six operations conducted by the Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (PPO) resulted in the confiscation of an estimated 3,781 board feet of illegally sawn lumber and flitches worth P135,030.71 and the Regional Maritime Unit seized 300 board feet worth P20,000.

The Agusan del Norte PPO recovered 91 Lauan lumber and flitches with an estimated volume of 2,101.3 board feet and market value of P63,030  in Barangay Durian, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.

PRO-13 Director Police Brig. Gen. Kirby John B. Kraft ordered a thorough investigation for the arrest of suspects’ financiers and the origin of these illegally cut forest products.

“A case for violation of Presidential Decree 705, also known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, was filed against the suspects while the recovered Lauan lumber was turned over to DENR for final scaling and disposition,” Kraft said.