Illegal lumber seized in Cavite
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – Authorities recovered 982 board feet of illegally cut forest timber which they believed would be used to manufacture home furniture in Tagaytay City, Cavite, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officer said Tuesday.
Raymundo Crisostomo, chief of DENR in Cavite, said local policemen found the timber and a chainsaw abandoned in Barangay (village) Tulay-B around 2 p.m. Monday.
“We received (a tip) from informants and immediately ordered the police to confiscate (the forest products),” Crisostomo said.
Maragondon hosts a portion of the Mt. Palay-palay or the Mataas na Gulod Protected Landscape but Crisostomo believed the illegal logs came from outside the government protected area.
“They could have come from private vacant lands,” he added.
He said products of illegal logging in Cavite are usually delivered to furniture manufacturers in the tourist city of Tagaytay and sold at a price of P28,000 to P32,000 per board feet. CDG/rga
