Lawmen seize illegally-cut lumber

POLICEMEN and environment authorities have confiscated undetermined amount of illegally-cut forest products in a west coast village of Zamboanga City, a police official said Monday.

Superintendent William Gadayan, Zamboanga City Public Safety Company (ZCPSC) commander, said the illegally-cut good lumber were confiscated around 11:30 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Patalon.

Gadayan said the illegally-cut lumber was seized by his troops together with personnel from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro)-west and Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force who responded to a reported rampant illegal cutting of trees.

However, Gadayan said no arrest was made since the suspected illegal loggers have fled upon sensing the arrival of the lawmen.

Initially, the lawmen have found 20 flitches of illegally-cut good lumber hidden in the bushes that were taken to the Cenro-west, Gadayan said.

Meanwhile, he ordered his men to assist the environment authorities to scour the area in search for more illegally cut trees hidden on bushes in the area. (Bong Garcia)