DENR eyes other options to pin down illegal
logging kingpins
By Eric F. Gallego
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 28 (PIA) - The Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) Caraga region is exploring other options that can put to jail the perpetrators
including the main operator and
financier of illegal logging and timber
poacher.
"We must admit that the DENR is finding
hard time in pinning down a mastermind of illegal logging activities including
their financiers owing to inadequate knowledge of legal procedures by the
people imposing the environment regulations," DENR 13 Regional Executive
Director Nonito M. Tamayo said.
Director Tamayo was answering a query from the
members of the local media during a press conference held at the DENR
Conference shortly after the signing of the Memorandum of Partnership with the
Agusan National High School Class 1990 on the planting of mangrove as its
contribution to the National Greening Program.
He said the DENR has filed 81 cases related to
illegal logging against the operators and timber poachers and more than half of
these cases were dismissed by the court due to technicalities and insufficient
documents.
"The
rest of the cases that we have filed at the fiscal office are still awaiting
court actions," Tamayo said.
He said the DENR top management at the Central
Office is on the process of reviewing the system to correct deficiencies in
operational management based on the
experiences of the people involved in the anti-illegal logging operations.
"There is urgency to upgrade our
capabilities and skills in the operations particularly in the proper filing of
criminal cases with the court against the perpetrators of our environment and
natural resources otherwise the DENR will always be at the losing end, "
Tamayo said.
He said the
Philippine Army, PNP-led operations have succeeded in reducing the number of hot spots in Caraga Region
from 31 to 17 municipalities.
These municipalities that are considered in the
lists of 'hot spot' are the
municipalities of Esperanza, Sibagat, Trento, Loreto, Rosario, La Paz,
Talacogon, and San Luis in Agusan del Sur ; Bislig, Lingig, Carmen, San Agusan, Lianga, Barobo, Tandag, and Tago
in Surigao del Sur and Cadianao in Dinagat Province.
He said there were at least 775,755.56 bd. Ft.
of lumber were confiscated over the last nine months since January this year by
joint operatives of the PNP-Philippine Army , the Local Government Units and
the DENR .
A total of 47 units of trucks and other vehicles
that were used in the transport of
illegal log products were also confiscated and impounded by the police
authorities during that period. (NCLM/DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)
