Authorities confiscate more than P200,000 of illegally-cut lumber in Cagayan

August 7, 2020

Authorities confiscated more than P200 thousand worth of illegally-cut lumber in a law enforcement operation in Cagayan province on Wednesday, a military official said on Friday.

Maj. Noriel Tabayan, public affairs chief of the 5th Infantry Division, said joint elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, Philippine Marines under the operational control of 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and the Municipal Environment Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Aparri confiscated common hardwood  during an anti-illegal logging operations at Sitio Tapuacan, Brgy Dagupan, Lal-lo municipality around 9 am.

"The successful law enforcement support operations resulted to the confiscation of more but not less than 5,000 board feet (B/Ft) of common hardwood with an estimated market value of around ₱250,000," he said.

Brig. General Laurence Mina, commander of the 5th Infantry Division, lauded the troops of Marine Battalion Landing Team.

“It is our duty as members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to support the all-out-battle of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) against illegal logging within our Area of Responsibility (AOR)," he said.

"With this, we call on the whole community to fully cooperate with the government’s campaign in the protection and preservation of the environment not just for us, but for the next generations to come. We should act now before it’s too late,” Mina added.

Tabayan said the confiscated lumber were accounted for by the MENRO officials before it was transported to the headquarters of MBLT-10 in Sitio Burubur, Brgy Magapit, Lal-lo municipality for temporary safe keeping. Robina Asido/DMS