DENR-7 declares P740T worth of seized forest products in Q1

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 has reported a total of 46.6498 cubic meters of apprehended forest products for the first quarter this year with an estimated cost of nearly P740,000.

The volume is 50.49 percent lower compared to the same period last year of undocumented forest products seized by a joint team from the DENR, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Citing the effective implementation of the Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno Aquino,III,  DENR-7 executive director Isabelo R. Montejo acknowledged the huge decline of illegal transport of forest products.

Montejo said that the apprehension and seizure of undocumented forest products is the result of the implementation of Executive Order 23, which may be attributed to their effective and efficient implementation of the order in Central Visayas with the strong support and cooperation among the other law enforcement agencies.

The forest products which have been seized include lumbers, timber, keel, flitches, and charcoal.

To recall, the DENR in coordination with the Regional Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force seized a total of 1,380 pieces of lumber with a corresponding volume of 24, 298.68 board feet or 57.3082 cubic meters coming from Surigao Province. — (FREEMAN)