In an unrelenting pursuit of forest preservation and protection, the local police authorities of Pilar Municipal Station and Alegria MPS successfully conducted a comprehensive operation against three male individuals involved in violating Presidential Decree 705 on illegal logging, yesterday.
PCOL LAUDEMER M LAUDE, Provincial Director, positively identified the three at large suspects: a 22-year-old and a 19-year-old violator whose residency has been disclosed at Barangay San Roque, town of Pilar; and a lumad member, legal age, resident of Bgry. Camp Edward, Alegria, Surigao del Norte province.
According to the report, personnel from the unit stations carried out the anti-illegal logging operation and responded to the concerned individual’s report in response to mounting concerns over illicit forestry activities, swiftly yielded tangible results as authorities recovered the illegally sawn lumbers which specie comes from Lauan Tree and Coconut Tree.
The suspects were able to evade their arrest during the conduct of two separate operations, yesterday. Suspects immediately sensed the apprehending unit and managed to make an evasive escape from the police authorities leaving a cache of sawn lumbers being cut into different diameters.
Under the decisive move targeting illegal activity, the authorities successfully recovered and confiscated the forest products containing a total of 255 board feet of Lauan and Coco lumber with an estimated market price value of Php7,200.
PD Laude expressed, “While the operation marked a significant triumph in the ongoing battle against environmental deforestation, this another successful recovery of timbers underscored the imperative for sustained vigilance. SurNte cops will continue to adhere, and organize resolute actions bringing every criminal to justice, to properly deal with the offense they have committed before our government.”
Meanwhile, the confiscated forest products are now under the custody of responding municipal police stations for proper disposition and legal documentation. Follow-up operation shall be underway for the responsible evasive individuals. (Mark James Lisondra)