Quezon trader charged with illegal logging

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed charges of illegal logging against a Quezon businessman in connection with the seizure of more than P1 million worth of undocumented lumber in a bus terminal which he was leasing out.

Charged with the Quezon regional trial court was Josefino Vargas, leasee of the Superlines Transit terminal in Barangay Tagbakin, Atimonan, Quezon.

First assistant provincial prosecutor Jaime Umpa said they found probable cause to charge Vargas for violation of the Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705, as amended by Republic Act 7161 or the Anti-Illegal Logging Act, and Executive Order 277.

Last Jan. 19, Umpa said operatives of the anti-illegal task force of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided the Superlines terminal where they confiscated 3,266 pieces of undocumented lauan lumber and flitches with a total volume of 47,496 board feet valued at P1.23 million.

The DOJ, however, cleared the owners of the bus company, Manolet Lavides and spouses Angel and Carmencita Talampas, due to insufficient evidence.

Umpa recommended P40,000 bail for Vargas’ temporary liberty, adding that the businessman faces a jail term of six years if found guilty.

"Vargas’ defense failed to persuade us. In the light of the evidence on record, which clearly points to him (Vargas) being the owner of the forest products found inside the Superlines Bus terminal, his bare and unsubstantiated defense must perforce fail," Umpa said.

The DENR created Task Force Sagip-Gubat following the massive flash floods in Quezon and Aurora late last year as a result of massive rains spawned by typhoons "Unding," "Violeta," "Winnie" and "Yoyong."

The flash floods, which killed hundreds of people and destroyed forest and agricultural lands, have been blamed on rampant illegal logging in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges.

DOJ records show that the DENR and the NBI conducted surveillance of the Superlines Transit terminal in Atimonan last Jan. 14.

Besides being undocumented, the seized forest products did not bear the required official hatchet markings, which is in violation of forestry laws.

Vargas, who identified himself as a consultant of Superlines, claimed ownership of the lumber, but failed to present any legal documents to justify his possession of the forest products.

Lavides and the Talampas couple denied any knowledge of the presence of the lumber in the bus terminal, saying Vargas was the one leasing the property.