P700,000 lumber confiscated in latest case:Isabela officials, lawmen 'protecting' illegal loggers

By Joan Capuna

ILAGAN, Isabela – Illegal logging has gone from bad to worse in the province as local officials and lawmen are reportedly protecting those involved in the illegal trade prompting the provincial government to reactivate a task force to go after the perpetrators.

This promted the provincial government to reactivate its multi-sectoral anti-illegal logging task force last week to save the “last frontier forest in northern Sierra Madre.”

Gov. Grace Padaca said for three months, the province prepared groundwork and conducted meetings for “all-out campaign to re-activate the anti-logging task force that we formed on my second year as governor.”

Meanwhile, at least 9,000 board feet of both narra and soft wood species with a combined worth of at least P700,000 were confiscated in the last three days here in the wake of the provincial government’s efforts to re-strengthen its anti-illegal task force, which had been sidelined for almost two years.

“I have been telling this to our Apo Isabeliños, especially those who are involved (in illegal logging), either as financiers, or even local politicians and policemen who are in cahoots (with illegal loggers), so that they can’t say they have not been warned,” she said.

Padaca’s latest tirade against illegal logging activities here came after more or less 4,000 board feet of illegal sawn narra flitches were confiscated in Benito Soliven town while being transported across the river using floaters. Ten persons, including a barangay chairman are now facing illegal logging charges in connection with the illegal shipment of the forest products.

Likewise, some 5,000 board feet worth at least P200,000 of what is believed to be illegally-sawn softwood were found abandoned here yesterday by the provincial government-led task force and the community environment and natural resources office, adding to the growing reported and unreported cases of similar incidents of illegally-cut logs or lumber being transported illegally, allegedly in cahoots with some local officials and law enforcers.

With the provincial government as the leading organizer, the composition of the task force, Padaca said, includes the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based here headed by Major Gen. Melchor Dilodilo and the provincial police led by its director here, Senior Superintendent Dominador Aquino.

Padaca said she is just waiting for her deputization papers from Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza for the provincial government and the task force to go on all-out war against illegal loggers. -- With reports from CL