Coco lumber held

The Philippine Coast Guard detained a truck loaded with coconut lumber worth P130,000 at Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro last week.

This was after the Philippine Coconut Authority suspended the issuance of permits on the cutting of coconut trees on Jan. 3.

An investigation showed that the coconut lumber was to be transported to Manila when authorities accosted the truck driver, Mario Batinga, on July 11.

When questioned, Batinga claimed his truck was loaded with sacks of rice. However, an inspection of the truck revealed that it was loaded with 10,844 board feet of coconut lumber worth P130,128. —Julie M. Aurelio