The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Northern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company (NSPMFC) seized P3.4 million worth of illegal freshly cut lumber during a joint operation from May 4 to 9.
The confiscated items include keelboats of hardwood tropical trees, according to a report.
“The operations were carried out using a drone camera that showed stockpiles of illegal logs along roadsides and others were covered with coconut palms,” 1st NSPMFC Commander Maj. Edwin Oloan Jr. was quoted in a statement.
Police report said that a person named Arnel Lucban Surio with others were seen trying to hide the stockpile, but went to the mountainous areas upon seeing authorities.
“Even in this time that our country is in the midst of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, we will not stop to exercise our sworn duties and responsibilities to fight criminality and terrorism,” Oloan said.
Violators will be filed with administrative and criminal charges for violating Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.
The DENR said this is the biggest volume of illegal lumber ever seized in the province.
