ASSORTED lumbers amounting P52,016 were seized in the different parts of the Cordillera by police according to a report.
The operation, which started April 23 to 29, the illegal lumbers confiscated reached 1,593.24 board feet following the order of the President Rodrigo Duterte to arrest all persons involved in illegal logging.
Assorted pieces of illegally sawn lumbers were recovered and confiscated in Ifugao by personnel of Kiangan Municipal Police Station (MPS) together with Cenro-Ifugao and 54IB, 5ID conducted anti-illegal logging operation in the afternoon of April 24.
Authorities recovered abandoned lumbers classified as Tangili, Oak tree and Red Lawaan with a total of 938.66 board feet and market value of P32,853.
On April 29, 2018, Alfonso Lista police provided security escort to Peejay Mayangao Balao, Special Investigator of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Alfonso Lista to verify abandoned lumbers that was reported by a concerned citizen at a forested area in Sitio Dadap, Sta. Maria, Alfonso Lista.
The operation resulted in the recovery of flitches of gmenila lumbers cut in different sizes with total 348.329 board feet with a market value of P8,011.
In Mountain Province, joint personnel of Sagada MPS and Mountain Province Police Manuever Force Company (MPPMFC) conducted illegal logging operation in Marlboro Country, Antadao, Sagada, on April 29 resulting to the recovery of abandoned illegally sawn pine lumbers in different dimensions with an estimated total volume of 208 board feet with an estimated market value of P6,240.
In Apayao, personnel of Kabugao MPS recovered abandoned eight Narra flitches in different dimensions with an estimated volume of 98.25 board feet and an estimated value of P4, 912.
The lumbers were discovered along the foot trail while the cops were conducting barangay visitation.
The massive and simultaneous enforcement of campaign against illegal logging have resulted to no suspects arrested despite the effort to locate possible suspects responsible in illegal cutting of trees.
PRO - COR regional director Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, following the intensified campaign against illegal logging directed all unit commanders to strengthen police operations and intensify intelligence build up against personalities involved in illegal logging activities in the region.
Carranza also appealed to the public to immediately report to the nearest Police Station all illegal logging activities in their areas so law enforcers can immediately respond and arrest those involved and not only confiscating the lumbers.