Illegal lumber from Sierra Madre seized in Quezon

LUCENA CITY — Authorities seized illegally cut lumber from Sierra Madre mountain ranges in Real town in Quezon province shortly before midnight on Tuesday, police said.

The combined police and operatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) intercepted a van loaded with 46 pieces of freshly sawn “dalingdingan” lumber in Barangay Cawayan around 11:30 p.m.

Van passenger Marvin Valera was arrested but the driver of the vehicle managed to escape.

Police seized the illegal forest product measuring 380.30 board feet (0.89 cubic meter) and worth P15,212 in the underground market.

Charges will be filed against the suspect for violation of Presidential Decree 705, or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines as amended under the RA 7161, which prohibits the cutting of trees without a permit from the DENR.

The seized vehicle and forest products believed to have been illegally cut from the northern Quezon section of the Sierra Madre were brought to the DENR in the said town for disposition.

Last month, police also seized a truck loaded with illegally cut coconut lumber in Tayabas City, following a tip from a citizen. The following week, another truckload of coco lumber was seized during a checkpoint, this time in Buenavista town, also in Quezon.

EDV