|
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Government to look into illegal log shipment
MANILA -- President Arroyo has ordered an investigation into the reported attempt to transport three truckloads of logs in Quezon on Monday despite a standing ban on logging operations, said her spokesman.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Tuesday the logs were intercepted by police and are now under government custody.
Bunye said the government would implement the full force of the law against logging violators, stressing that Arroyo is serious and intent in carrying out the campaign to stop illegal logging.
He reiterated calls for the public to cooperate and report incidents of illegal logging activities in their areas to the proper authorities to ensure the success of the campaign.
Bunye, however, clarified that Arroyo is not banking on the slapping of capital punishment against illegal loggers although she wants the "full force of law" imposed on them as she treats illegal logging like a heinous crime.
Arroyo has also prodded Congress to expedite the approval of the bill banning all logging operations in the country. She also expressed optimism that Congress would approve the total log ban measure.
She also said the log ban operations would also be imposed in Zamboanga del Norte to avoid what happened in the provinces of Quezon, Camarines Norte and Sur, Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.
Arroyo suspended over the weekend all logging operations nationwide but later clarified the ban was only applicable to Quezon.
Over this decision to cancel logging permits, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it expects a legal controversy on the matter.
"There is the question of course of the possible infringement of contracts between loggers and the government since these permits were already granted but of course the decision of the President is clearly within the police power of the state to enforce particularly the general welfare clause of the Constitution," Gonzales said.
On another sensitive issue, a 1995 law on large-scale mining, Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. said the recent decision of the High Court upholding its validity will have no impact on the environment.
Speaking to reporters in a function in Cagayan de Oro City Tuesday, Davide said, "mining activities have nothing to do (with the problem of trees)." He was commenting on the recent controversy in connection with rampant illegal logging in eastern Luzon, which resulted in flashfloods and landslides at the height of tropical depression Winnie last week. (JMR/Benjamin B. Pulta)
(December 8, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
2 councilors in near fistfight over city budget