P10-M lumber seized in Mandaue

LUMBER products valued at P10 million were seized by a team of policemen and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) from a warehouse in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, in a raid.

The raid on Wednesday was based on a search warrant issued by Mandaue Regional Trial Court Branch 28 Judge Rafael Yrastorza, said Inspector Delfin Bontuyan of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Central Visayas.

The subject of the warrant was Jose Yap, owner of Paknaan Center, the warehouse’s loation where the raiding team found hardwood varietes of narra, kamagong and mahogany.

PENRO provincial officer Richard Abella said the seized lumber were among those banned under Presidential Decree 707 as amended by Executive Order 277, in relation to E.O. 23 signed last year by President Aquino. Aquino’s E.O. 23 declared a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in natural and residual forests nationwide. Inquirer