POLICE seized lumber worth at least P400,000 in barangay Tangke, Talisay City, southern Cebu.
The 308 “lawaan” lumber were found last Tuesday night at the back of a house owned by a couple identified as Rene and Lea.
Insp. Rio Hugo Ipong of the Talisay City police said the lumber were part of the five lumber that were seized early morning last Tuesday.
Hugo said the wood were seized after no one came forward to claim the lumber and present pertinent documents.
Police are checking reports that a certain Moly owns the lumber.
Tangke barangay captain Perla Cabanes said she didn’t know that there were people in the area involved in shipping illegay cut lumber.
Raul Pasoc, officer-in-charge of the Forest Management Sector of City Environment and Natural Resources Office(CENRO), said the seized wood came from Surigao.
Illegal loggers would hide their shipment in Tanke, Pasoc said.
Pasoc said some residents connived with illegal loggers by hiding illegally cut woods in their house.
Pasoc said there was an incident when a member of the Fisheries Sea Ecological Care was mauled by residents during a confiscation of illegal lumber. /CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC