Thursday, April 03, 2008 2 nabbed for illegal logging at PMA compound By Ernie N. Olson Jr.
TWO residents of Kias were arrested and turned over to the police after they were caught red-handed while illegally cutting down trees within the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) reservation, a military official said.
Although the felled Benguet pine trees and illegal logging paraphernalia were seized by the arresting military personnel, three of the suspects' cohorts were able to escape.
Those arrested were Johnny Carling Umaming, 45, and Aldy Mariano Unos, 20, both private miners of Puroks 5 and 7, respectively, of Kias.
Confiscated from them were four pine logs measuring nine feet long, three feet wide and two feet high each, a Stihl chainsaw bearing serial number 911066480412, one green bag containing two screwdrivers, an open wrench, a pencil and metal ruler, and one plastic container of motor oil.
Major Roel Donato Payabyab, PMA camp commander, said they were alerted about the presence of a group of men who were reportedly conducting illegal logging activities within their reservation last Sunday.
When they responded to the area, Payabyab said they chanced upon Umaming and Unos, but three of their cohorts were reportedly able to leave the place before they arrived.
The two suspects, along with the confiscated items, were subsequently turned over to the Baguio City Police Office for proper disposition.
According to Senior Inspector Joey Calamiong, BCPO Station 4 chief, the suspects were detained at the Baguio City Jail for their alleged violation of Presidential Decree 705 or illegal logging.
