INTENSIFYING ANTI-ILLEGAL LOGGING CAMPAIGN. The Cagayan Valley Product Monitoring Station (CAVAPROMS) in Calitlitan, Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya has intercepted another conveyance with over a million peso-worth of illegal forest products on Sunday, Sept. 26, the third apprehension incident happened in just two-week time.

The forest protection team flagged down at around 11 a.m. the Fuso Canter closed van with plate number CAJ 6107 loaded with 104 pieces of Narra flitches or lumbers with approximate volume of 2,520.75 board feet and estimated value of 1.260 million pesos.

Driver Rommel Mercado, 37 years old from San Miguel, Bulacan said the lumber was originated from Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga. With helper Warwin Cruz, both are now under the custody of PNP Aritao for further investigation.

Meanwhile, Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 earlier ordered in recent regional management conference for a stringent forest protection and law enforcement convergence initiatives among Regions I, III and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

After the consecutive apprehension incidence at the CAVAPROMS on Sept. 12 and 14, this year, the Enforcement Division of the DENR Regional Office has been more vigilant and alerting the forest protection officers assigned at the 26 mobile and stationary checkpoints within the north and south exits of the Cagayan Valley Region.

This is in support of the implementation of Section 68 of Presidential Decree No. 705 known as “Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines” as amended by Executive Order No. 277.#