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Friday, May 06, 2005
1.5-hectares of forest land razed
By Joseph Alvin A. Treyes
BACOLOD -- Joint operatives of the Task Force Ilahas (TFI) and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) discovered 1.5 hectares of second growth forest at EB Magalona town razed to the ground Thursday.
The forest land, at Sitio Diatimon, Barangay Canlusong, was a former rebel-infested area.
According to reports from dyWB Bombo Radyo, the operatives that composed the enforcement team also discovered 500 cut red lauan timber with diameters ranging between 10 and 15 centimeters, scattering on the razed field.
They said the timber were about to be processed as charcoal.
The TFI, under its action officer Senior Inspector William Señoron, has been receiving reports of "kaingin" or slash and burn operations as well as illegal logging activities in the area located a few kilometers away from a detachment of the Philippine Army at Barangay San Isidro.
Police identified the suspected "kainginero" as Danilo Naranja who remained at large.
Investigators said Naranja will be charged with violating Presidential Decree 705 or the Forestry Code of the Philippines.
The continued illegal logging operations in the province was brought to the attention of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who visited the province last April 16.
Environmentalists had also earlier questioned the failure of the police to arrest suspects in the massive cutting of trees in Don Salvador Benedicto town.
They said warrants of arrest have been sent to Don Salvador Benedicto Police Station against the 12 co-accused of Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Cynthia de la Cruz but they failed to act on it.
Of the 19 respondents, five posted bail for their provisional liberty.
They are De la Cruz, her husband Nehemias, Councilor David Pontillano, Barangay Bagong Silang village head Vicente "Oti" Bacordo and his son, Eden.
They were charged with the massive destruction of forests evidenced by the denuded area of at least 22 hectares in Barangays Bagong Silang and Igmaya-an, Don Salvador Benedicto.
Other respondents to the illegal logging case who, however, failed to post bail were Feliciano Likoan Jr., a certain Totong Likoan, Vivencio Catalogo, Eleazar Catalogo, Roger Campos, Fernando Campos, Romeo Señeres, Domingo Endico, Efraim Lagos, Blas Bacole Jr., a certain Daku, and three who were unidentified.
(May 6, 2005 issue)
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