Illegal tree cutters caught inside natural park

In the middle of the battle against COVID-19, a team of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Community ENR Office (DENR–CENRO) in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo and members of the 552^nd Engineer Construction Battalion of the Army’s 53^rd Brigade based in Camp Hernandez caught illegal tree cutters inside the Bulabog-Putian National Park (BPNP), a protected area in the town of Dingle, Iloilo.

CENR Officer Glenn S. Del Norte, assisted by Atty. Francis Glenn of the Legal Division, filed a criminal complaint before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office at C. J. Ramon O. Avanceña Hall of Justice on May 5, 2020 against the suspects – Donald L. Cordero, Kenneth L. Lazarito, Arlie L. Perra, and Erwin P. Gardoce.

They were charged for the unauthorized use and possession of unregistered chainsaw, a violation of Section 7, Republic Act 9175 (The Chainsaw Act of 2002). All four accused are residents of Brgy. Tulatula-an, Dingle.

The violators were caught cutting, gathering, and clearing trees inside the park with the use of an unregistered chainsaw (STIHL 070 with Serial No. 427821113).

Section 7 of the Chainsaw Act imposes the penalty of six to eight years imprisonment with a fine of not less than Php 30,000 but not more than Php 50,000 for the unlawful use of chainsaw.

A total of three round logs of Mahogany tree species equivalent to 1.87 cubic meter or 792.88 board feet were recovered from the area.

The violators are also facing a separate charge for illegal tree cutting.

“A permit for cutting trees must first be secured from a CENRO who has jurisdiction over the area where the trees that will be cut are planted,” the complaint states.

“No virus threat could deter our men on the ground from doing their job. After all, protecting our environment from such criminal offense is linked to the protection of our health. Due to misuse of our natural resources, the world is now facing one of the greatest health threat mankind had ever experienced in this lifetime,” DENR 6 regional executive director Francisco E. Milla Jr. said.

“While we grapple to defeat COVID-19, we should not forget and rest our guards against unscrupulous individuals that took advantage of the crisis by perpetrating their selfish desire to gain unwinding the protection of the environment,” he added. (DENR-6)