BUTUAN CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO)-13 and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Caraga seized 563 pieces of undocumented Lauan lumber measuring 7,864 board feet worth P235,920 in Surigao del Sur on Friday, March 31.

The PRO-13 reported that these were loaded in a green wing van truck and were intercepted by the 1301st Mobile Force Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 13, DENR office in Lianga, and Lianga Municipal Police Station in a checkpoint around 6:30 a.m. in Payasan, Lianga.

PRO 13 Director Brig. Gen. Pedro G. Labra II said the driver of the truck was arrested and is facing charges for violation of Presidential Decree 705 or the Forestry Code of the Philippines.

“We have intensified our forest protection efforts through the regular conduct of tree-planting activities and anti-illegal logging operations,” he said.

“With our recent confiscations and arrests, we hope to send a strong message to illegal loggers that we will deal with them with the full force of the law,” Labra said.

Labra ordered police units in Caraga to set up more checkpoints and arrest illegal loggers and provide appropriate assistance to the DENR in the strict implementation of the anti-illegal logging campaign.

The truck driver was placed in the custody of the DENR in Lianga along with the confiscated forest products for proper disposition.