Cops nab 3 logging groups

CAMP BADO Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet – Three groups of illegal loggers were caught in Itogon in a surprised police operation.

Joint operations of Benguet Provincial Police Office led by Superintendent Mario Mayames Jr; Benguet Provincial Public Safety Company led by Superintendent Lambert Suerte; and La Trinidad Municipal Police Station led by Inspector Vicente Tamid–ay conducted anti-illegal logging operations in Apalan, Itogon, Benguet last February 5.

This resulted to the arrests of several individuals including Butch Buaquen Acusan, 42, married, farmer, native and resident of Ambilao, Bokod; Lucas Belino Jr., 46, single and a resident of Bila, Bokod; July Pa-ay, 39, married, farmer, a native and resident of Pito, Bokod; and Michael Simon, 36, single, farmer, native of Daclan, Bokod and a resident of Buhaw, Puguis, La Trinidad.

Police force also arrested Rogel Dela Cruz, 24, native of Poblacion, Bokod.

Investigation showed that the first three arrested persons were on board an elf truck owned by Pa-ay but is registered in the name of Glendrex Bosucan who is a resident of Magsaysay, Loakan, Baguio City.

The elf was loaded with 80 pieces 2x3x10 and 80 pieces 1x8x10 illegally sawn pine lumbers with a total volume of 933 board feet. They planned to deliver the pine lumbers in Brookside, Baguio City.

The second elf truck driven by Dela Cruz was loaded with 266 pieces of 2x3x10, 27 pieces of 2x4x10 and 78 pieces of 1x10x10 pine lumbers with a volume of 2,201 board feet and eight sacks of charcoal.

The Armak jeep driven by Simon was loaded with 294 pieces of 2x3x10 pine lumbers with a volume of 1,472 board feet.

The confiscated pine lumbers totaled to 4,606 board feet.

The arrested suspects and confiscated items are now under the custody of Benguet Provincial Police Office for documentation, while a case for violation of PD 705 or the Revised Forestry Code is being prepared for filing before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in La Trinidad. (Rubyloida Bitog)