LUCENA CITY––Police intercepted two trucks loaded with illegally cut coconut lumber worth P151,000 in two separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday in Quezon province.
Quezon police reported that anti-illegal logging operatives flagged down a truck loaded with about 5,000 board feet of illegally cut coconut lumber in Barangay Rosario around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The truck driver, Michael Cabuyao, and helpers Arnold Millan, Jeric Obdianela, Jerry Obdianela, Romualdo Jardinan, and Gilbert Englatiera failed to produce documents from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) giving them authority to cut and transport the coconut lumber.
The lumber was found to be worth P100,000 in the underground market.
The suspects were arrested and detained at the local police station.
In Catanauan town, the police arrested truck driver Roberto Fuerte and helpers Darren Nuñez and Marlon Marte after failing to produce PCA permits for about 3,000 board feet of coco lumber they were transporting around 5:30 p.m. on Monday in Barangay 10.
The confiscated lumber is worth P51,000 in the underground market.
Republic Act 8048 or the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995, prohibits the cutting of coconut trees unless a permit had been secured from the local PCA office.
Republic Act 10593, which amends RA 8048, allows cutting when the tree is “severely disease-infested and beyond rehabilitation” or was “severely damaged” by typhoon or lightning.