LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Five individuals were apprehended in Barangay Salvacion, Luna, Apayao Tuesday night, February 12, for attempting to transport assorted illegally sawn lumber without pertinent documents.
Police identified the arrested farmers as Rowel Luban Bayed, 26; Roderick Luban Bayed, 23; Allan Labadday Cabotaje, 34; Jerick Dimaya Balicat, 23, resident of San Jose, Luna, and Edel Mamba Luban, 52, resident of Poblacion West, Flora. The Bayed brothers and Cabotaje are residents of Barangay Cabatacan, Pudtol.
The suspects were loading the illegally sawn Tanguile Red Lauan lumber into a hand tractor trailer that was to be towed by an improvised owner type jeep when they were spotted by barangay officials and the barangay peacekeeping action team (BPAT).
The suspects failed to present any documents of the illegally sawn lumber, prompting the police to arrest them.
Further investigation revealed that the lumber were taken by the suspects from San Jose, Pudtol. They had planned to transport these to Cabatacan, Pudtol via Salvacion, Luna road.
The suspects as well as the lumber and the vehicle are now under the custody of the Luna police.
Meanwhile, seven pieces of sawn pine lumber with a total volume of 58.33 board feet amounting to P1,749 were confiscated in Sitio Anani, Kilong, Sagada, Mountain Province on February 11.
Twelve narra lumber/flitches loaded in a color white van with plate no. DRL702 were confiscated in Barangay Tabiog, Bucay, Abra on February 12.
Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana, Police Regional Office Cordillera regional director, said the PNP will remain effective in the campaign against illegal logging and more violators will be apprehended with the continuous support of the public.
The suspects are now facing charges for violation of PD 705 filed by the police in court. (SunStar Baguio)