Army detachment commander cleared of illegal logging raps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Army detachment commander was cleared of the allegations of involvement in timber-poaching activities at Don Salvador Benedicto town in Negros Occidental but his relief from his post remained.

Colonel Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Staff Sgt. Danilo Galapin, the relieved detachment commander, and Lito Bautista, a CAFGU member, were cleared of the charges against them after DENR personnel admitted that they requested the two to facilitate the retrieval of timber abandoned by unidentified persons at Brgy. Bunga in Don Salvador Benedicto.

Lactao said, despite being cleared of the charges, Galapin is not yet returning to his former position, and that the case may be even revived if new evidences or testimonies come out in the future.

Lactao also admonished Galapin for committing lapses on his part by not informing his higher officials about the hauling activity.

Galapin, who was relieved for command responsibility, will be assigned to the 303rd Infantry Brigade headquarters, but Bautista will be assigned back to the detachment, Lactao said.

Based on the investigation conducted by Col. Nathaniel Villasor, administrative officer of the 303rd IBde, Galapin’s reported hauling of the illegally cut logs was requested by the DENR, said Lactao.

He said the DENR issued an official report regarding the hauling of stockpiled slices of tanguile, estimated at 273 board feet, which were supposed to be scaled at the DENR office after these were sighted by both DENR and Army personnel in a tree planting activity in the area.

The hauling of the logs by Galapin and his men were coordinated by the DENR, but without informing the Task Force Ilahas, which as a result reported its sighting to the Office of the Governor.

TFI action officer Supt. Armando Tubongbanua reported to TFI executive officer Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., that they discovered the cutting of premium species of trees, with the lumber sold to well-off personalities constructing rest houses in Brgy. Bagong Silang Don Salvador Benedicto.

He said they also received reports on the alleged involvement of Army and CAFGU personnel in timber-poaching activities.

Lactao lamented about an apparent lack of coordination among government agencies involved in the campaign against illegal logging, and this miscommunication unfortunately caused humiliation to the Army and the CAFGU.

Lactao has ordered a “stand down” on the participation of Army personnel and government militiamen in the campaign against timber poaching in Negros Occidental, pending the adoption of a “protocol” on their assistance to the environmental protection campaign of the DENR, the TFI and the Provincial Environment Management Office.

The protocol will define specific guidelines, duties and functions of each participating agency in the environmental protection campaign, to prevent the occurrence of a similar situation.