Robredo rejects tribal leaders' plea to release seized hot logs

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has turned down the appeal of indigenous people in Agusan del Sur to return to them the hot logs earlier seized by personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The lumads belonging to the Manobo tribes of La Paz, Talacogon and Esperanza towns made the request during a dialogue with Robredo last Monday.

Prior to this, they wrote a letter to President Aquino and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje, asking their help for the release of nearly 3,000 pieces of illegally cut logs that were confiscated after they were abandoned near the Agusan River in Barangay Maguinda, Butuan City on June 4.

The lumads said proceeds from the seized logs, which were harvested from their ancestral lands, would be used for the enrolment and other school expenses of their children.

“We are appealing to President Aquino and DENR Secretary (Ramon) Paje to release the logs for human considerations,” tribal chieftain Datu Manlauman said.

Meanwhile, DENR-Caraga regional executive director Leonardo Sibbaluca said the hot logs confiscated by the agency would be turned over to the Department of Education to be used in making school desks and other classroom fixtures.