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Illegal logging rampant in Aurora national park
By Luis Jose

MA. AURORA, Aurora – Illegal logging is still rampant at the famous Aurora Memorial National Park here despite presence of police and environment personnel and a crackdown waged by the provincial government.

The illegal operations have angered Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo who expressed disgust that illegal loggers manage to pass through checkpoints.

In a forum with the Army, the Philippine National Police and local officials at the Capitol in Baler last week, Angara-Castillo said illegal logging at the 5,676-hectare AMNP, is bringing shame to the province. “It is not only logging trucks but also vans and tricycles loaded with forest products that are passing unchecked there. Nakakahiya na (It’s shameful),” she said.

The governor, who said anti-illegal logging is one of her crusades in line with her platform of good governance, confronted Mayor Ariel Bitong for the continued operations of illegal loggers in the park, particularly in Barangay Villa. The barangay gained notoriety due to illegal logging after calamities in 2004 triggered flash floods that destroyed a steel bridge and killed 13 people.

Angara-Castillo reacted after a concerned citizen informed her that vehicles loaded with logs continue to pass Barangay Villa despite the crackdown she ordered against illegal loggers.

The loggers reportedly transport their smuggled forest products in the wee hours of the morning. “Either ang mga tao sa checkpoint e tulog o nagtutulog-tulugan (the people manning the checkpoint are asleep or pretending to be asleep),” the governor said.

She took Bitong to task for failing to stop illegal logging despite the presence of the Army and the PNP in the area. “It boggles the imagination why you have the Army and the PNP with you yet logging vehicles continue to go unchecked,” she told the mayor.

Bitong said they were not remiss in the campaign against illegal logging, adding that in fact, they have seized 1,500 board feet of forest products in recent operations.

But Angara-Castillo was unimpressed, saying smuggling of forest products in the park should be completely stopped as critics claimed the illegal operations have the blessings of the Angaras.

“You fail to stop illegal logging tapos palalabasin nila alam ng senador, congressman at gobernador ito. Magpakita kayo ng ebidensiya na me kinalaman kami (then they would make it appear this has the knowledge of the senator, congressman and the governor.”