Police seize truckload of coco lumber

CEBU, Philippines - A truck full of coconut lumber was confiscated along the national highway of Barangay Poblacion, Carmen on Thursday afternoon.

Elements of Carmen Police seized 64 pieces of coconut lumber of different sizes each estimated to cost from P1,000 to P1,500 from truck driver Eugene Pepito, 42, resident of Barangay Lanipga, Consolacion.

SPO2 Renerio Masucol of Carmen Police Station disclosed that they were conducting a routine checkpoint when the Isuzu Elf truck, bearing plate number GGM-939, approached them.

Masucol said they found out that Pepito did not have a permit to transport and a permit to cut issued by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) the coconut lumbers which prompted them to confiscate the products.

He said Pepito violated RA 8048 or illegal cutting of coconut trees.

Aurito Orozco, member of the PCA Task Force 8048, told The Freeman that the issuance of permit to transport and the permit to cut trees were suspended since December.

“We are not allowed to issue permits kay it was suspended since December. What they did was considered illegal,” Orozco said.

The lumbers were already turned over to the PCA in Mandaue City including the vehicle used in the transport of the products.

Authorities have required Pepito to submit an affidavit of complacency in order to get back his truck.

Orozco said the confiscated lumbers can be used by the local government unit, upon request, for projects for free or sell them through bidding.

“We can’t stock the confiscated lumbers here for a long time kay madunot man na maong kinahanglan namo ibaligya,” Orozco said. (FREEMAN)