All-out drive to stop illegal logging in Caraga Region pushed
Mike U. Crismundo
BATOHON, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur -- The office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga Region) imposed yesterday a ban on the movements of all kinds of forest products in the entire stretch of Agusan River in a move to stop illegal logging in the region.
As of yesterday afternoon, the forest protection task force of Caraga Regional Executive Director (RED) Benjamin T. Tumaliuan had already seized 3,997 pieces or 891.45 cubic meters of mixed forest products and 7,788.39 board feet of mixed dipterocarp lumber.
The task force also dismantled 13 mini-sawmills in Prosperidad, Trento, and Loreto, all of Agusan del Sur, for alleged violation of forestry laws.
Despite the continuous downpour, Agusan del Sur provincial environment and natural resources officer (PENRO) Sixto C. Badua also pursued the drive against illegal logging.
He mobilized Bunawan Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Eutiquio M. Bade Jr., Talacogon CENRO Juvencio V. Munoz, and Loreto CENRO Eddie Bacomo to strictly enforce the ban on movements of forest products in the upper stream of Agusan River.
At the downstream of Agusan River, Agusan del Norte PENR Officer Rosendo Asunto and CENR Officer Achilles Ebro also fielded their river craft manned by forest rangers to enforce the ban.
The anti-illegal logging task force of RED Tumaliuan is being supported by the Task Force Kalikasan headed by Col. Rommel Cabagnot.
The giant Agusan River is the alleged route of forest products in the Agusan provinces.
The ban was announced by RED Tumaliuan during a meeting on the reprogramming of the regional budget for 2008 at the DENR Training Center in Butuan City.
RED Tumaliuan was visibly irked by reports of several apprehensions of illegally cut logs in the Agusan River. He said the reports on the "high incidence" of alleged illegal logging negated whatever good merits gained by the DENR over the years.
In a report he sent yesterday to Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, RED Tumaliuan stated he has temporarily suspended all the towing of logs in the Agusan River, pending the solution of the illegal logging problem.
"I will get to the bottom of this issue to determine the extent of irregular process involving the transport of logs in the Agusan River," he told DENR field men.
He said that timber poachers and illegal log traders, including sawmill operators, who are caught violating forestry laws "must be charged in court."
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