‘Hot’ coco lumber worth over P120k seized; 3 nabbed in Quezon province
LUCENA CITY –– Police intercepted Monday a truck filled with about P126,000 worth of illegally cut coconut lumber in Catanauan town in Quezon province.
A Catanauan police report said the policemen chanced upon a truckload of coconut lumber at 10:20 p.m. while conducting a checkpoint in Barangay 9.
The vehicle was loaded with around 8,000 board feet (18.87 cubic meters) of coconut lumber.
The truck driver, Harold Gapasangra, and his two passengers, Eduardo Amor and Analiza Aventurado of Mauban town, failed to show a permit for the cargo from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). This prompted the authorities to confiscate the hot lumber and the vehicle.
The police found out that the pieces of lumber came from Barangay Ilayang Tayuman in San Francisco town and would be delivered to Cavite and Metro Manila buyers.
Under the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995, cutting coconut trees and transporting coconut lumber are prohibited unless permitted by the local PCA office.
