Gov wants probe on log smuggling via Pacific e

DINGALAN, Aurora– Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo ordered the Philippine National Police Wednesday to investigate reports that illegal logs are being smuggled out of this town through the Pacific Ocean to evade a checkpoint of Task Force Sagip Kalikasan.

“We have been receiving information that illegal loggers are now using the Pacific Ocean to spirit out the logs, so I have told Col. Esteban to look into this,” Angara-Castillo said, referring to Senior Supt. Romulo Esteban, provincial police director.

She said those behind this illegal logging operation have apparently been affected by the efforts of Task Force Sagip Kalikasan, which has seized thousands of board feet of hot logs since last month.

Illegally cut red lawaan and bagtikan logs estimated to be worth P2 million and with a volume of 11,041 board feet were confiscated at the Caragsacan checkpoint last month.

Angara-Castillo said she has also received intelligence reports that smugglers of hot logs have been using a “diversion road” to skirt the road leading to the Caragsacan checkpoint.

“According to reports, the hot logs are being hauled manually one by one and they don’t pass the checkpoint anymore because they have found a way to sneak them out using a detour route,” she said.

She said the task force would look for a common route for all vehicles going in and out of this town.

Angara-Castillo said she has authorized the use of the seized forest products in the construction of school buildings.

Esteban said confiscated logs with no claimants can be used in community projects, too.

Meanwhile, Esteban said a police team led by Chief Inspector Eric Buenconsejo discovered a mini sawmill with 15,000 board feet of abandoned illegally sawn lumber during a recent inspection in Dipaculao town.

He said Buenconsejo’s team was patrolling the area when they stumbled upon the mini sawmill. -- MG