CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — The Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force of Bulacan arrested four illegal loggers and confiscated 134 pieces of illegally cut lumber in Dona Remedios Trinidad (DRT) town, this province Saturday.
Senior Inspector Roldan Manulit, DRT police chief, told the Phillipine News Agency (PNA) that the arrested illegal loggers were identified as Lando Simbulan, resident of Papaya, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija; Randy Jay Salvador, Ranie de Leon, and Jojit de Leon, all residents of Sitio Calumpit, Barangay Kalawakan in DRT.
Manulit said the arrested illegal loggers were caught in the act of cutting timber at around 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Sitio Mangga Barangay Kalawakan.
The suspects are now detained at the DRT municipal jail while charges are being prepared by environment officials for filing in court on Monday.
Bro. Martin Francisco, chairperson of the Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. (SSMESI), said the task force confiscated illegally cut lumber with a total volume of 2,194 board feet worth some PHP109,700 and two chain saws that were brought for safekeeping to the community environment and natural resources office of the DENR in Baliwag town.
The task force are composed of personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Bulacan, Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office, and SSMESI. (PNA)
