Four men charged for illegal logging

CEBU - The City Environment and Natural Resources Office has filed charges against four men for allegedly cutting down 12 Mahogany and Narra trees inside the Osmeña Reforestation Project in the Mananga watershed last February 8.

The accused, Winefredo Misal, Ali Misal, Fredie Misal and Gilbert Traya, all residents of barangay Manipis in Talisay City, were charged with violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 before the Regional Trial Court.

Section 77 of the PD 705 provides that “any person who shall cut, gather, collect or remove trees from private lands without any authority as required under existing forest laws and regulation shall be punished.

CENRO’s Danilo Orbasido, in his affidavit, said that in the morning of February 8, they received a call from the barangay captain of Manipis about men cutting trees within the Osmeña Reforestation Project.

Upon reaching the area, Orbasido said they were able to apprehend the four men and recovered the 12 logs that they have cut down. The accused allegedly tried to hide the logs by covering them with the bushes along the creek near the Manipis Road in Talisay City. — Jasmin R. Uy/WAB (THE FREEMAN)