Shipper questions hold order on bark shipment

THE owner of the 1,000 sacks of tree bark of mangroves or tanbarks locally known as “tungog” that was seized by authorities last Thursday in Cebu City came forward to seek the release of the shipment.

Erickson Kho of Sulu questioned the hold order issued by the National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force.

The foregst goods originated from Tandubas, Tawi-tawi, Mindanao.

Edward Pamplona, head of the Regional Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force, told Kho that he failed to present a Certificate to Transport Forest Products to justify his claim on the shipment.

Kho’s papers said he was the lone bidder who won and paid P25,520 for the 51.4 tons of tanbarks previously confiscated in Mindanao and put up for auction.

But the potential market value of the bark is P14.39 million, according to Pamplona, making the shipment suspicious.

A physical examination was made yesterday by the task force, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Community of Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro),

Pamplona said 10 vans loaded with 280 tons of tanbarks were seized in Pier 8 Dec. 6 last year under Kho’s name.

He said the tanbarks were released to Kho because no hold order was immediately issued.

He said they have been “monitoring” Kho’s tanbarks shipment almost every month after reading documents that noted that the shipment was “bought through public bidding.”

“Why isn’t this (tanbarks shipment) controlled?” Pamplona said.

Pamplona said the National Anti-illegal Logging Task Force is meeting with the Forest Management Team to verify whether the tan barks were the subject of a public bidding.

The shipment was consigned to Paul Bercina of barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City.

It was seized from a motor boat by Navy personnel on Thursday. Tanbark is used in the production of paint, beads and food coloring. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell