By Marisol Bo-oc | 08:19 AM August 02, 2023
Authorities have arrested two illegal loggers in Jagna town on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
The operations conducted by Jagna Police, together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), also led to the confiscation of illegally cut tugas (molave) logs and a chainsaw.
Jagna police said Aljay Lecciones, the tpwn’s disaster risk reduction and management Officer, informed them regarding the illegal cutting of molave tree in Purok 4 in Barangay Tubod Monte.
Personnel of Jagna Police Station and Lecciones immediately responded at said place. They were accompanied by forest rangers Nicomedes Macalam and Andres Salado Jr.
Investigation revealed that at about 11:30 a. m. on July 31, the said tree was cut down by Warren Retorbar, 24, a chainsaw operator and Stephen Paul Rosas, 33, helper of Retorbar- both residents of Barangay Tubod Monte.
The molave tree has 40 c.m. in diameter and team recovered round logs of the said tree with total estimated 180.43 board feet amounting to P18,043.00 being left at the said place.
They will charged for violating Section 77 of Presidential Decree (PD) 705, otherwise known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, as amended, and Section 7(4) of Republic Act (RA) 9175 or the Chainsaw Act of 2002.
Section 77 of PD 705, Unlawful possession of implements and devices used by forest officers, states that offenders will be imprisoned for up to four years and pay a maximum fine of P10,000.
