8 nabbed for illegally cutting trees in Oriental Mindoro, Romblon

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Five individuals were arrested after being allegedly caught cutting coconut trees without a permit in Pinamalayan town on Tuesday, police said in a report on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Pinamalayan Municipal Police Station, led by Police Lt. Col. Joel G. Paningbatan, responded to a report from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and conducted a joint operation in Sitio Langka, Barangay Inclanay.

At the site, authorities discovered 14 illegally cut coconut trees, several pieces of sawn coconut lumber, and a white Isuzu Elf truck loaded with coconut lumber.

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READ: Cops seize P204,000 worth of illegal lumber in Oriental Mindoro

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Police arrested five suspects at the scene, while four other individuals believed to be operating chainsaws escaped and remain the subject of a manhunt.

Seized during the operation were the truck and about 1,810 board feet of sawn coconut lumber with an estimated value of P27,150.

The suspects were informed of their constitutional rights and are facing charges for violating Republic Act No. 8048 (the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995).

Oriental Mindoro police director Col. Edison Revita said protecting coconut trees is vital to preserving the livelihood of Mindoro residents and to continuing to enforce environmental laws and protect the province’s natural resources.

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Also on Tuesday in Romblon province, three individuals were arrested in Barangay Linao, Calatrava town after they were allegedly caught cutting and processing an acacia tree without the required government permits, police said in a report.

The operation, conducted at around 12:45 p.m. on July 14, also resulted in the seizure of an unlicensed chainsaw and processed lumber.

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READ: P160,000 worth of illegally sourced lumber seized in Occidental Mindoro

Police confiscated a Stihl chainsaw without a serial number, estimated at P80,000, and 15 pieces of processed acacia lumber with a total volume of 238.83 board feet valued at about P3,582.45.

According to the initial investigation, the suspects failed to present any permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) authorizing them to cut the acacia tree or any registration for the confiscated chainsaw.

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Police said they would be charged with violating Section 68 of Presidential Decree No. 705, or the Revised Forestry Code, as amended by Executive Order No. 277, and Republic Act No. 9175, or the Chainsaw Act of 2002, and are being prepared for inquest proceedings before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor./coa