By MELODY J. COSEP
ALABEL, Sarangani (November 24, 2014) – Almost P400,000 worth lumber from Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat were intercepted by the composite team of Kiamba Police Station and the Provincial Natural Resources Office (LGU-PENRO) at dawn on November 18 at the Community Police Assistance Center (CPAC) No. 1 in Sitio Ubbog, Barangay Badtasan after confirming that the lumber permits were falsified.
The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of DENR in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat told the Kiamba police that the documents presented were all fake.
Around 2 o’clock in the morning of November 18, the composite team flagged down a white Isuzu Forward truck with plate number MVY-960 driven by Renato Cabucos loaded with 223 flitches of Antipolo, Falcata, DapDap, Ilang-Ilang and Bagras species or a total of 7,050 board feet with an estimated market value of P176,250.
Another green Isuzu truck with plate number GTR-822 was apprehended at 3:47am loaded with 163 log bolts of same species equivalent to P200,000.
Per police initial investigation, the owners of the lumber are Datu Otto Mastura and Datu Sammy Sultan.
Kiamba police has turned over the confiscated lumber including the trucks to CENRO Kiamba as it is the mandate of DENR to file cases against the violators.
The seizure was the provincial government’s immediately response to information given by concerned citizens. Accordingly, another two trucks of similar origin on the same day turned back after learning of the apprehension.
Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon and Cong. Manny Pacquiao have been stringent in prohibiting any unlawful activity in the province. In a press conference at the Capitol last month, Gov. Solon affirmed that the provincial government is against illegal gambling, mining and timber poaching but is pro-sustainable development.
The firm stand of the officials and the sentiments of the residents have triggered the DENR Regional Office XII to issue an order of moratorium on the issuance of permit to cut in the towns of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum effective October of this year.
Municipal officials are also mobilizing at their level to run against the offenders. Mayor Raul Martinez has been supportive and at the same time leads in the confiscation of illegal logs and in the prevention of illegal mining operations in his town.
Last November 10, the composite team of Sarangani Provincial Police Office led by Col. Emmanuel Peralta, Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), PENRO-LGU Sarangani and Mines and Geosciences Bureau was able to confiscate mining tools, explosives and equipment at Sitio Kafugan, Barangay Nalus in Kiamba.
All concerned citizens are encouraged by the local government to give relevant information on illegal activities, assuring the former that their identities will always be concealed and protected. (Melody J. Cosep/PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)
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