P6-M worth of logs missing in Caraga

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur — The disappearance of some 3,150 lawaan logs at the log pond of the Sabang-Gebong Agdawan River near the boundary of Talacogon and La Paz towns is something for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ponder about.

The missing logs, valued at around P6 million, were discovered by the DENR and complaining lumad groups during an occular visit of the site.

The logs, which was estimated to total about 1,050 cubic meters if processed into lumber, are enough to make at least 2,000 houses.

Indigenous people who took photos of the logs reported the haul to authorities but when the investigation team headed by Forester II Merlinda Luengas of the DENR-Agusan del Sur and four other task force members of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) tried to investigate complaint, the logs were no longer around.

The lumads, who claim ownership of the ancestral domain of about 51,000 hectares situated within the municipality of La Paz, vowed that they have documented the presence of the logs and it was certified by the local Bantay Bayan Foundation Inc.

In their sworn statements furnished to The STAR, the lumads, Manobo tribesmen belonging to the Tribal Communities of Caraga Region (TRICOM), said the logs which were allegedly cut from their ancestral lands by enterprising groups were washed away from different forested areas during the flashfloods last Aug. 27 then collected at the Agdawan River.

The DENR CENRO office of Talocogon, Agusan del Sur headed by then Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Felixberto Orcullo ordered the seizure of the logs.

However, an official report dated Oct. 10 by the investigation team composed of Luengas, Forester II Isidro Armendarez, Media representative Rudy Canonayon, Scaler Edilberto Lastimosa Jr. and Francisco Flores, representative of PENRO-LGU to the PENRO office here, maintained that "no logs existed during occular inspection in the area and recommends closure of the subject case for lack of merit".

TRICOM officials headed by former DENR official Victoriano Vidal told The STAR that they are set to file administrative and criminal cases against DENR officials involved in the disappearance of the logs whose ownership is under question.

"We will let the proper courts decide on this case, especially as this involves not only the welfare and interest of the indigenous people who are still living in dire poverty and ignorance because of neglect but also the future of their ancestral lands," Tricom said.