LEGAZPI CITY?Illegal logging remains one of the major concerns of police in Tiwi, Albay province, and this year alone, they arrested 25 illegal loggers, a police official said on Thursday.

Supt. Rommel dela Rama, Tiwi police chief, said in a phone interview that although there was no large-scale illegal logging in the town, it still remains one of their major concerns because ?it would have a big effect on the environment.?

Last week, four men were caught in the act of cutting trees at the 16,000-hectare National Power Corp.?s Tiwi Watershed Geothermal Reserve, a protected area in Barangay Bariis.

Dela Rama said this year alone, the police also confiscated at least five chainsaws, more than 300 sacks of wood charcoal, more than 300 bundles of fire wood, six motorcycles and four jeeps used for illegal logging. Joanna Los Baños, Inquirer Southern Luzon