FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City – Some 300 pieces of illegally sawn lumber were recovered by troopers from the 84th Infantry (Victorious) Battalion of the 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division of the Philippine Army along the banks of Sumacbao River in Barangay Rio Chico here recently, the army said Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto, 84IB commanding officer, said soldiers were conducting patrol operations on Oct. 26 when they found about 300 pieces of 6x12inx12ft good lumber in the area which is within the Sierra Madre mountain ranges.
They promptly reported the incident to the local government unit and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for further conduct of anti-illegal logging operations in the area, he said.
“Karamihan ng mga troso na napuputol nila sa kabundukan na ito ay pinapaanod nila sa Rio Chico o sa Sumacbao River hanggang sa maka-abot sa Barangay Pias ng Gen. Tinio o kaya ay sa lugar na kayang salubungin ng sasakyan kaya importante ang pinalakas na law enforcement operations with the Philippine National Police” Ileto said.
“I urge those perpetrators to stop illegal logging activity or face the full force of the law,” he added.
It can be recalled that only last Sept. 4, 84IB troops apprehended 18 suspected illegal loggers in the vicinity of the same barangay and turned them over to the Gen. Tinio Police Station. The suspects were caught in possession of chainsaws without permits, which violates RA 9175 or the Chainsaw Act of 2022, and with more or less 5,000 board feet of illegally cut forest products.
Maj. Gen. Andrew Costelo, 7ID commander, said “we have been stepping up our efforts with other law enforcement agencies to protect our natural forest resources through regular tree planting activities and anti-illegal logging operations, particularly in this part of the country.”
