3 men held in outpost for transporting hot lumber

TABUK CITY, Kalinga  – Three persons were arrested by city police  after they were caught transporting illegally sawn narra lumber worth P28,955 loaded in a van-type vehicle at a police checkpoint in the access road leading to barangay Tuga here around 5:30 p.m. last Nov. 1.

   

The arrest of the three persons illegally transporting the narra flitches came after concerned citizens tipped police of the supposed transport of the lumber prompting law enforces assigned at the Bulanao sub-station to establish a police checkpoint leading to barangay Tuga where the vehicle loaded with the lumber passed.

           

Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong, regional police director, identified the arrested individuals as Jonard Asuncion, owner of the van, residing at Bado Dangwa, barangay Calanan, Tabuk City; Antonio AbonBaruzo, driver, 48, married and  LexterAbonBaruzo, helper, 26, married both residing at Casigayan, Tabuk City.

           

Recovered inside the vehicles of the arrested persons were assorted pieces of narra flitches having a total measurement of 579.10 board feet valued at P28,955 without the necessary documents.

All suspects together with the confiscated pieces of evidence, including the vehicle, were brought to the Bulanao Police Sub-Station for proper disposition.

Because of the numerous reports on illegal logging activities regionwide, Magalong ordered all police chiefs to file charges against persons including concerned government agencies’ personnel and officials who are in cahoots with illegal loggers in order to curb the rampant cutting of trees that could greatly affect the state of the environment in the future.

Earlier, President Aquino issued last Feb. 28, 2011, Executive Order No. 23 banning cutting of all naturally grown forests trees especially hard wood species in the region and in the entire country.

“We want our children and our children’s children to enjoy the scenery of our watersheds and forests, thus, we must join hands in preserving and protecting our trees from being illegally cut to pave the way for development,” Magalong said, citing that sectors of society must be actively involved in regreening activities so that the present and future generations will also enjoy the benefits of trees to their lives. -- Dexter A. See