Isabela village chief, 9 others face illegal logging charges

ILAGAN, Isabela – Charges of illegal logging are being readied against a barangay chairman of a remote town here and nine others for the shipment of high-grade wood products earlier this month.

Gov. Grace Padaca yesterday said that the province’s anti-illegal logging task force is set to file charges against barangay chairman Floriano Dichoso of Macayocayo, San Mariano town and nine others for violation of PD 705 otherwise known as the Anti-Illegal Logging Law.

“We have prepared cases (against them). The law is the law. If you violated it, then you have to be arrested,” said Padaca.

Dichoso’s inclusion in the case came after he reportedly owned responsibility over the more than 4,000 illegally-cut forest products worth more than P500,000.

The task force, also composed of Army and police, discovered the narra lumber while they were being shipped across the Pinacanauan River in remote Benito Soliven town with the use of floaters.

The charges against the illegal logging suspects came in the wake of Padaca’s two-week ultimatum to all illegal loggers and timber poachers to voluntarily surrender the equipment they were using in their illegal activities or face appropriate charges.

“Bring down your chainsaws (now) and we won’t arrest you,” said Padaca, whom Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza have given a special deputization order to go after illegal loggers and timber poachers here.   

The ultimatum, which took effect July 21 until Aug. 4, was issued during a meeting of the provincial government-led anti-illegal logging task force whose recent revival came amid reports of rampant illegal logging in the province’s protected forest zones.

Padaca assured that no apprehension, arrest or charges will be made on persons who would voluntarily turn over their chainsaws and other equipment being utilized in the illegal cutting of trees.

In related developments, mayors from the province’s forest zones led by Mayor Jose Mari Diaz of this capital acknowledged that some of their constituents had to resort to cutting of trees to sustain their basic needs. Any alternative livelihood for them, they said, would lead to curbing the age-old problem of illegal cutting of trees here.

“We understand their (mayors) concerns for some of their constituents engaged in illegal timber poaching out of poverty. We have been implementing alternative ways for their constituents to legally make use of their forest resources,” said provincial environment and natural resources officer forester Felix Taguba.