DENR seeks police, NBI help on forester’s slay

MANILA, Philippines—Environment Secretary Ramon Paje on Friday sought the help of the police and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in fast-tracking the investigation of the killing of forester Melania B. Dirain, who was shot dead inside her office in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, on Tuesday.

Paje, who strongly condemned Dirain’s killing, said the attack could be related to her anti-illegal logging campaign.

Last January 27, the province’s first ranking female forester seized 118 pieces of undocumented premium hardwood aboard a six-by-six truck owned by the Philippine National Police Regional Mobile Group in Alcala town in Cagayan province.

Dirain was the team leader of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office tasked with apprehending undocumented lumber and other forest products in the area.

According to police investigators the February 7 killing was caught on two of three security CCTV cameras. One captured video showed the gunman entering the office twice in a span of five minutes. Another camera showed the man, his head covered with a scarf, enter Dirain’s office and immediately shooting the forester in the chest while she was talking to an office messenger.—Leila B. Salaverria and Melvin  Gascon, Inquirer Northern Luzon