4 nabbed for illegal logging in Northern Samar town

TACLOBAN CITY — Police arrested four men in San Isidro town, Northern Samar after they failed to show documents that would allow them to transport lumber.

The four suspects, Junior Gasid, 40; Inigo Tizon, Jr., 51; Bryan Naga, 33; and Cosme Dy, 32, were arrested for allegedly transporting at 2:05 a.m. on Wednesday illegally sewn lumber worth about P468,200.

During its patrol operations, San Isidro police officer-in-charge Captain Emmanuel Guardiano spotted the suspects about to board a motorized banca loaded with undocumented lumber products at the seawater of Barangay Balite.

The four failed to show permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), prompting the authorities to confiscate the lumber for violation of Presidential Decree No. 705.

The police seized 58 pieces of assorted sizes of Lawaan lumber, 17 boat keels, and a motorized banca worth P70,000.

Violators face charges for violating Presidential Decree 705. The seized items are under the temporary custody of the San Isidro police for administrative seizure proceedings by the DENR.

Col. Alfredo Tadefa, provincial police director, has ordered a further investigation to identify the owner and those responsible for the illegal logging activity.

“We will impose the full force of the law to arrest those individuals involved in illegal activities. I call on the public to be vigilant and help the police force by reporting any suspected illegal logging activities in their localities,” he said in a statement.

lzb