Monday, April 07, 2008 'Illegal lumber' found hidden inside mining farm
A COMPOSITE team from the Municipal Government of Tampakan and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) dug up on Thursday 74 pieces of illegally cut lumber buried beneath the ground inside the core farm of a mining company in Tampakan, South Cotabato.
Eileen Estrada, municipal environment and natural resources officer of Tampakan town, told reporters that they received reports last March 17 that illegally cut lumber will be brought down from the mountains.
Estrada claimed they conducted surveillance by trailing the truck suspected of transporting illegal forest product.
The truck went inside the core farm of Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) in the remote Liberty village.
When local and environment officials conducted inspection inside the SMI core farm on March 18, they found nothing except the old lumber. However, on Thursday, representatives from the local government and DENR regional office conducted another inspection inside the SMI facility and found out 74 pieces of lumber totaling to about 630 board feet.
The lumber pieces were buried on the ground while a pile of hollow blocks was placed on top, apparently to conceal them.
Upon inspection, it was found out that the lumber came from naturally grown trees from the mountains of Tampakan.
The DENR officials are still determining the species of illegally cut forest product.
The Municipal Council of Tampakan was also investigating to determine what appropriate action should be taken against the perpetrators.
Roy Antonio, senior coordinator of the mining firm's corporate affairs, told reporters they are not aware about such incident.
Antonio said it could be possible that the contractor of the project was responsible for it, but he clarified the company has nothing to do with it. He said the SMI had already suspended the construction project inside the core farm pending the resolution of the controversy.
He further bared the company is willing to cooperate in the investigation. (Aquiles Zonio)
