CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Military and police personnel, in coordination with environment officials, seized more than 2,000 board feet of illegally-cut lumber at a checkpoint in Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat.
Col. Robert Dauz of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, said three persons, identified as Ariel Arsenal, 21, and Jojo Gardosa, 27, both of Sitio Kiasal, Barangay Bugso; and Junjun Torres, 40, the alleged logging financier, were arrested Tuesday for failure to present documents legalizing the cutting and transport of forest products.
Dauz told reporters that the soldiers, led by 1Lt. Alessandro Cruzada of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion, received a tip from concerned civilians about the impending transport of suspected illegally cut lumbers in the village of Bugso.
He said soldiers, police and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) personnel immediately flagged down at 10 a.m. a cargo truck loaded with freshly cut lumber and arrested truck occupants Arsenal and Gardosa.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Torres whom the duo pinpointed as the alleged financier of illegal logging activities in Bugso village.
The three suspects are now detained at Senator Ninoy Aquino town police lockup as charges for violation of forestry laws are being prepared against them.
Dauz has commended the troops for their latest achievement and vowed to support the local government of Senator Ninoy Aquino in preserving the environment.
“We will always assist the local government and concerned agencies in curbing the denudation of our remaining forest cover,” he said.
Dauz also lauded the civilians for providing authorities with timely and accurate information. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)