A 51-year-old man was arrested and more than 419 board feet of suspected illegally sourced Ipil lumber were confiscated during a joint law enforcement operation in Roxas, Palawan on June 15, authorities said.
Personnel of the Roxas Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Palawan Police Provincial Office, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) Roxas, and the 2nd Palawan Provincial Mobile Force Company, carried out the operation in Barangay Magara at about 7:16 a.m.
Authorities said they recovered assorted freshly cut Ipil lumber with an estimated volume of 419.53 board feet and an estimated value of P63,000 from the suspect’s possession under the Plain View Doctrine.
Police said the suspect was unable to present documents or permits authorizing the possession and transport of the forest products, prompting his arrest for alleged violation of Presidential Decree No. 705, or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.
The suspect, whose identity was withheld pending the filing of charges, was taken into custody at the Roxas Municipal Police Station along with the confiscated lumber and other pieces of evidence for further investigation and proper disposition.
“The operation resulted in the arrest of a 51-year-old male suspect for violation of Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines,” the Palawan Police Provincial Office said in a statement.
Police said the operation forms part of continuing efforts to curb illegal logging activities and protect the province’s remaining forest resources.
“The Palawan Police Provincial Office remains committed to intensifying its campaign against illegal logging and continues to strengthen coordination with concerned agencies,” the statement added.
Illegal logging has long been a concern in Palawan, which hosts some of the country’s most important remaining forests and biodiversity-rich ecosystems. Authorities have repeatedly warned that unauthorized cutting and transport of timber contribute to forest degradation and threaten wildlife habitats across the province.
