P3.5 M lumber seized in N. Samar anti-illegal logging ops

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – A series of anti-illegal logging operations in the municipality of San Isidro resulted in the recovery of P3.5 million worth of lumber.

In a report released on Monday, May 11, the Northern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company (NSPMFC) said they managed to identify one of the illegal loggers as Arnel Lucban Surio.

Surio was seen together with other unidentified individuals trying to conceal a stockpile of lumber and keelboats along the road in in the forested area of Barangay Happy Valley.

Surio and the other suspects, however, eluded arrest.

Surio is facing charges for violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 otherwise known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines.

Joint teams composed of operatives from the NSPMFC, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Catarman, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 of the 803rd Maneuver Company and the Delta Company 43rd Infantry Battalion CAFGU Active Auxillary used drones during the operation.

Last April 24, government operatives also seized assorted lumber, flitches and keelboats with a market value of close to P2 million in Barangay Happy Valley.

Police Major Edwin Oloan of the FNSPMFC said they will not stop the campaign against  persons involved in crimes against the environment amid the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The confiscated lumbers were already in the custody of the CENRO Catarman.

GSG