Police urged to hasten probe on killing of forester

Friday, February 10, 2012

MANILA—Environment Secretary Ramon Paje has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to hasten the probe on the recent killing of forester in Cagayan.

Paje said the death of Melania Dirain could be related to the anti-illegal logging campaign in the region.

Dirain, 47, was shot dead Tuesday right inside her office by an unidentified gunman. She was a forestry specialist at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of the DENR in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.

Paje said that based on a radio message, Dirain, a mother of three and a widow, was gunned down by an unidentified armed man inside her office between 7:30 and 8:30 in the evening while she was talking to a male office messenger.

Dirain died on the spot. Five spent shells from an apparent caliber .45 and four deformed slugs were recovered from the crime scene, according to Paje.

The report also indicated the gunman, wearing black pants, black jacket, and a scarf on his head, left the scene immediately after the shooting.

Forester Dirain joined the DENR in 1989 as a forest guard. In January 2010, she was promoted to the position of forestry specialist.

At the time of her death, Dirain was the team leader of the CENRO in the apprehension of undocumented lumber, flitches, and other forest products in the area.

Last January 27, Dirain’s team nabbed 118 pieces of undocumented lumber of premium hardwood in Alcala,Cagayan, with estimated volume of 2,167 board feet, aboard a six-by-six truck. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)