Mindanao execs deny involvement in illegal logging

TAGUM CITY, Philippines — Local civilian and military officials in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley have denied allegations they were behind illegal logging in these provinces, describing as “mere propaganda” accusations by communist rebels that they were behind the illegal tree-cutting activities.

Mayor Reynaldo Navarro of the upland town of Laak in Compostela Valley urged the New People’s Army on Tuesday to stop “finger-pointing” even as he appealed for the insurgents to join the campaign against illegal logging.

The mayor’s remarks came weeks after the NPA announced it had abducted anew another soldier the group had accused of being an escort of illegal tree poachers in neighboring Kapalong town in Davao del Norte.

Ka Aris Francisco, spokesperson of the NPA in Davao del Norte-Compostela Valley-Agusan del Sur sub-regional committee, said in a statement that Corporal Rogelio Rosales was arrested on May 3 in the village of Florida while “on the process of arranging the transit of logs.”

Francisco said the arrest was part of the NPA’s total log ban campaign aimed at “punishing (army and police units) responsible for coddling and protecting massive logging in the two provinces, as well as in Agusan del Sur.”

“Illegal logging operations happen in the mountains and not in the lowlands. Who are the people in the mountains? If you (NPA) can find people engaging in illegal logging in your turfs, please do stop and apprehend them,” Navarro said.

The mayor said he has been doing enough to stop the transit of illegally cut logs, saying “records from the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) can prove that.”

He also denied allegations he was coddling the so-called Big Four, an alleged cabal of active and retired police officers said to be behind the illegal logging activities in the three provinces.

Also named as the group’s alleged coddler was Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy, who has denied the allegation.

Navarro said illegal logging operations were taking place on the boundary with Agusan del Sur, and that Laak was just a transit point, with  trucks loaded with illegally cut logs usually passing by “in the late hours of the night or very early in the morning.”

These trucks allegedly end up in sawmills in Tagum City.

The mayor also confirmed the seizure of a truckload of illegally cut logs said to be owned by a councilor in a Davao del Norte town.

“He even harassed me in an attempt to negotiate for the truck’s release but I did not budge,” said the mayor.

Villagers had reported the hauling of some 80 lauan logs in San Antonio village last April 29 by unidentified men, prompting police and soldiers to stop it, said Chief Insp. Mohamad Ali Dampac, Laak police station chief.

Navarro said cases were now being readied against the truck owner and his alleged accomplice, a village official in Laak.

“There’s never been an instance that I intervened in behalf of alleged illegal loggers to have their cargo released from police or DENR custody,” said the mayor.

In a separate interview, Colonel Harold Cabreros, commander of the Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade which has operational control over Army troops in Davao del Norte, said the NPA’s accusation was mere propaganda “to justify their kidnapping activities.”

The army “has been a partner in the government’s campaign against illegal logging,” he said. “Our soldiers are not involved in illegal logging.”

Cabreros said Rosales, who is assigned with the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion, was just visiting a friend when abducted by NPA rebels in Suaon village, in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

The military official said operations continue to locate and rescue

the kidnapped soldier.

Last April, a soldier from the 72nd IB was also abducted in Laak. The NPA said Sergeant Jeric Curay, who was freed last April 23, was part of the army units involved in environmentally destructive and anti-people logging business in Davao and Caraga regions.

RELATED STORIES

Gov’t starts crackdown on illegal logging in Mindanao

DENR eyes drones vs illegal logging; militants believe rebels are real targets