The Department of Environment and Natural Resources  confiscated Wednesday about  P120,000  in  undocumented forest products consisting of red and white lauan lumber at a lumber yard in Brgy. Caduha-an, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

Cadiz Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Edgar Rostata, said yesterday  that  the confiscated forest products were stockpiled at the  lumber yard owned by a certain Elizabeth Castiller,  where they were  discovered by DENR personnel, Cadiz police and troopers of the 12th Infantry Battalion.

In his report to Rostata, Renato Sabinian  said that a total of 3,843. 10 board feet of red and white lauan lumber were recovered.

Rostata said  that in their initial investigations, Castiller failed to present documents  showing legal  possession of  the  forest products.

Charges for violation of Section 77 of PD 705, are  being readied against Castiller, owner of the Greenhope Lumber Enterprises, where the forest products  were  seized.

Rostata said the logs, that had been  converted into lumber,  were transported by  the suspects using a sledge from Dalayapan River to Hacienda Salvacion in Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City,  before  delivery to the lumber yard at  night time.

He, however,  said incidents of  poaching  are isolated.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Andres Untal commended the Cadiz CENRO, police and members of the Philippine Army, and  other volunteer groups for their intensified efforts against poaching activities, in line  with the memorandum of agreement they had signed in 2002.*GPB

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