CITY OF CALAPAN—A farmer was arrested Monday while transporting illegally cut lumber in Mamburao town in Occidental Mindoro province, a report from the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) police said Tuesday.
The police arrested at 10:30 p.m. Crisaldy Toriana, 27, a farmer residing in Barangay Tangkalan, in Barangay Proper Tangkalan after Sherwin Jed David, a forest ranger, reported illegal logging in the area.
The police and Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel “intercepted the suspect while driving a motorcycle with a sidecar (‘bangkulong’) loaded with illegally cut lumber without a permit,” said the report.
The pieces of lumber were from lauan and acacia trees.
Confiscated from Toriana were 123 board feet of illegally sawn lumber estimated at P6,150 and a black motorcycle with a sidecar without a registration plate.
The suspect is under the custody of Mamburao police, while the lumber were brought to the CENRO-Mamburao holding office.
A case of violation of the Revised Forestry Code will be filed against the suspect.