Lumber seized, four arrested

OPERATIVES of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) yesterday arrested three men who unloaded lumber from a pumpboat in Talisay City yesterday and a tipsy Talisay police officer who tried to intervene in the operation.

The shipment was believed to have come from Surigao City.

One of the arrested men, 68-year-old Alfredo Rolido of Lapu-Lapu City claimed to be an asset of an environment enforcer.

The two others were 40-year-old Nonelito Abay, his 28-year-old brother Michael, both residents of barangay Tangke, Talisay City.

The pump boat arrived on the shore of sitio Labrador, barangay Tangke, Talisay City. Some of their companions saw the police and fled.

Insp. Delfin Bontuyan of the CIDG-7 said police were tipped off that half a million pesos worth of lumber from Surigao City would be unloaded there.

He said they coordinated with the Talisay City police and the Provincial Environment and Natural Office (Penro) for the operation.

On being caught, Rolido claimed to be a Penro asset.

The Abay brothers said they were hired to unload the lumber from the pump boat to be taken by truck to Cebu City.

They said they don’t know who owned the shipment. A Talisay police officer, SPO1 Mikkie Espina, was taken into custody after he arrived in the area drunk and rowdy.

Espina reportedly came from his daughter’s birthday party. Espina questioned CIDG-7 operatives using flashlights on the pumped boat. Bontuyan said he disarmed the policeman who tried to pull out his service firearm.

Bontuyan said they brought Espina to the CIDGE office and later received calls from local officials asking for Espina’s release. He said he left the decision on Espina’s status to their boss. Bontuyan said he injured both hands while trying to disarm him. Correspondent Chito Aragon