DENR X FILES FORESTRY CASE IN CDO COURT

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Region X (DENR X)  has recently filed complaint  to the City Prosecutor’s Office  of Cagayan de Oro City  against four individuals for transporting undocumented forest products without authority in violation of   Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.

The respondents are Manuel E. Atos, Jr., Dante G. Escabosa, Constantino K. Villaraza and Joey E. Marcelo. A bail bond of P120,000 for each person was recommended and approved by the Office of the City Prosecutor in their resolution dated March 21, 2022.

The charges emanates from the apprehension of two-winged van trucks bearing plate nos. CBJ-9795 and CBN-3687 loaded with undocumented forest products by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) – Field Unit 10 together with the Composite Quick Response Team of the DENR X, along the coastal road of Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City on March 18, 2022.

The undocumented forest products has an aggregate volume of 13,547.44 board feet believed to be of Mangkono and Dipterocarp species valued at more than two million pesos. While the two units conveyance estimated value amounted to 2.4M at 1.2M each.

DENR Regional Executive Director Henry A. Adornado said the apprehension will not be made possible without the full support of the CIDG X headed by PCOL Cholijun P. Caduyac. He thanked the CIDG X and the response team from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Misamis Oriental, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Initao, Misamis Oriental and the region’s Enforcement Division for the successful operation.

He stressed that under his leadership, the DENR X will not only focus on rehabilitation effort but will further step up its campaign in enforcing environmental laws, rules and regulations in the region in line with the instruction of DENR Secretary Jim O. Sampulna.

Adornado reminded the public that transporting undocumented forest products is prohibited and warned those would-be violators not to attempt or pursue illegal activities otherwise they will suffer the consequences pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.

While the case is being heard in court, the DENR X through CENRO Initao continues to conduct administrative adjudication proceeding per DENR Administrative Order No. 97-32, series of 1997 or the Rules for the Administrative Adjudication of Illegal Forest Products and the Machinery, Equipment, Tools and Conveyances used in connection therewith.

The undocumented forest products were brought to the depository area for safekeeping pending investigation. (With report from the Legal Division and Enforcement Division) #TayoAngKalikasan

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