Joint forces of DENR, PNP, AFP seize undocumented forest products in Bayugan City

By David M. Suyao

Wednesday 15th of August 2012

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Aug 15 (PIA) -- A joint team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine National Police and the army has seized forest products in Poblacion, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

The confiscated materials were 1,304 pieces or 74,821 board feet of undocumented mixed dipterocarp flitches and another 682 board feet of Narra flitches, inside an abandoned depot in Purok-19, Poblacion, Bayugan City.

In a written report submitted by the officer-in-charge of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Bayugan City, the confiscation of the forest products was prompted by an intelligence report from an informant. Immediately, by the power of a search warrant, No. 2012-12, issued by Bayugan City trial court Judge Hector Salise, the operation was executed.

According to Bayugan City CENRO Eleazar Alaira, upon receipt of report of the presence of the forest products, he immediately sought the help of the PNP and the AFP, who also responded immediately.

“Together with Bayugan City chief of police Gerry Ratunil and his men and 26th Infantry Battalion commander Jose Leonard Gille also with his men, we immediately proceeded to the abandoned depot in coordination with the Barangay Poblacion Council. Upon opening the door of the depot, filed flitches met our eyes, and that very moment, I ordered the seizure of the items and hauled them to be temporarily deposited in our office at CENRO Bayugan City. The seized items are now under the custody our team leader, forester Meliton Legaspi for safekeeping, pending upon further in depth investigation which is subject for court litigation,” Alaira said. (DMS--PIA-Agusan del Sur)