Authorities seize illegal coco lumber in Quezon

Authorities examine the seized illegal coco lumber in operations in Pitogo and Sampaloc towns in Quezon province. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

LUCENA CITY – Combined police and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) field officers on Friday seized illegal coconut lumber in the towns of Sampaloc and Pitogo in Quezon province, police said Saturday.

Senior Police Officer 1 Sonny Ommajino from Sampaloc police station and PCA officer Julio Oblena led a team in an operation and discovered 156 pieces of sawn coconut lumber with an estimated
1,690 board feet left abandoned by still unidentified illegal lumber trader in Barangay (village) Taquico around 5 p.m., the report said.

The seized coconut lumber worth P20,000 were brought to the PCA office for proper disposition.

In Pitogo, Senior Insp. Liezl Abenilla, Pitogo police chief, said Rodel Peñaranda, municipal environment and natural resources officer, assisted by police operatives discovered several fresh pieces of
illegally sawn lumber of “Antipolo” tree left abandoned by illegal loggers in Barangay Gangahin around 4:15 p.m.

The illegal forest products with an estimated 461 board feet worth P9,200 were hauled off to the municipal hall for proper disposition. CDG