The regional environment chief has appealed for support from the uniformed personnel in the conduct of oplan huli week 2023.

 

In her message yesterday during the flag-raising and awarding ceremonies of the Cagayan Police Provincial Office (CPPO) in Tuguegarao City, Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) thanked the uniformed forces of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its assistance in the enforcement of forestry and environmental laws, rules and regulations.

 

“The DENR has high regard to the PNP as the primary law enforcement agency in the country. In fact, the police force has been our agency’s staunch partner in environmental protection,” Director Bambalan emphasized.

 

The regional environment chief also mentioned the successful joint DENR-PNP accomplishment in 2022 for the series of apprehensions of illegal forest products and conveyances originating from the nearby regions passing through Region 2.

 

“While we are mandated to conserve our nation’s wealth, we also need to protect our forest officers. This is the very reason why we intensify our collaboration with our country’s enforcement arm,” she added as she stressed the importance of collaboration with the enforcement arm to ensure the safety of forest officers when doing forest patrol and monitoring in various checkpoints.

 

The CPPO under the leadership of Police Colonel Julio Gorospe, provincial director, has been an active partner of the DENR during seaborne operations in the coastal areas and in the conduct of ground surveillance against illegal forest activities. Since June 2020, the collaboration resulted to the apprehension of more than 180 cubic meters of forest products and 65 conveyances.

 

Director Bambalan was guest of honor and keynote speaker in the said awarding. She administered the pinning of the “Medalya ng Kagalingan at Papuri" to the seven police officers namely; Police Majors Jefferson Mukay and Jeorge Jacob; Police Captains Vilmore Mallilin and Jim Palattao; Police Senior Master Sergeant Arnel Talosig; and Police Corporals Vanessa Kim Purisima and Sheila Pascua.#