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Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Army seizes 25,000 logs in Basilan
By Al Jacinto
GOVERNMENT troops stormed a hideout of illegal loggers in the southern Philippine island of Basilan and seized more than 25,000 fitches of lumber before it could be transported to Zamboanga City, officials said on Tuesday.
Officials said illegal wood cutters scampered and fled deep into the jungle when they saw the soldiers, and left behind a huge stack of lumber.
Troops pursued the woodcutters, but lost track of them in the forest of Mt. Abong-Abong in Maluso town, the commander of the Army's 55th Infantry Battalion Lt. Col. Abdulnasser Kasim said.
"The lumber are ready for transport to Zamboanga City, and the timely intelligence prevented this from happening. We seized more than 25,000 fitches of lumber," he said.
Kasim said the lumber were handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
President Gloria Arroyo earlier ordered the military to help in the government's anti-illegal logging campaign.
Southern Philippines military spokesman Col. Domingo Tutaan said security forces would continue to assist the DENR in curbing illegal logging activities in the timber-rich region.
"The pronouncement of President Arroyo is clear, stop all illegal logging activities, and we will continue our non-traditional roles in assisting the government curb illegal logging activities in coordination with the DENR and other law enforcement agencies," Tutaan said.
Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman had previously linked provincial officials in Basilan in illegal logging activities. And he also said that government vehicles were being used to transport illegally cut lumber in Basilan.
In December last year, the 55th Infantry Battalion also seized more than 200 illegally cut logs in Maluso town, but made no arrest.
Basilan island, located south of Zamboanga City, consists of thick forest areas, but the unabated illegal loggings over the years have denued its mountains.
(June 15, 2005 issue)
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