JOINT anti-illegal logging task force of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) based in Cabanatuan City, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army (PA) recently apprehended five suspected illegal loggers for transporting undocumented forest products.

Nueva Ecija provincial environment and natural resources officer (Penro) Joselito Blanco identified the suspects as King Mark Mendoza, Rodman E. Mendez, Joseph Aplacador, Ronald Arguilles, and Julius del Rosario, all residents of Gabaldon town.

"The suspects were apprehended by our team in Sitio Cuyapa in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija after receiving information from a concerned citizen," he said.

Operatives also seized and apprehended 500 board feet of illegally sawn common hardwood and four units of motor vehicle called "kolong-kolong from the suspects.

The DENR is now preparing to file criminal charges against the suspects for violating the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.