Army troopers seize hot logs in SurSur town

From the Philippine Information Agency (May 9): Army troopers seize hot logs in SurSur town

The army troopers of the 36th Infantry “Valor” Battalion, Philippine Army have seized a total of 179 pieces of sawn lumber in Sitio Cagpangi, Barangay Cabangahan in Tago town, this province around 8:45 am, May 7, 2018.

Based on the report, while the army troopers were conducting a combat security patrol in the area, they recovered a 1,141.99-board feet of abandoned sawn lumber worth P22,839.

Capt. Francisco Garello, 36IB Civil Military Operations Officer, said that the seized lumber were brought to the 36IB Advance Command Post in Brgy Magroyong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur for temporary custody while coordination was made with the Tago Municipal Police Station and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Lianga for proper disposition.

Garello revealed that from January 2018 up to this time, the 36IB troopers have already conducted 10 successful anti-illegal logging operations in close coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The said operations resulted to the confiscation of 53,754.57-board feet of illegal logs/sawn lumber with an estimated market value worth P1,291,096.80.

To strengthen their campaign against illegal logging, 36IB Commander Lt. Col. Xerxes Trinidad reiterated the call to the local government unit (LGU) officials to address the problem seriously.

"We are sending a message to everyone to stop illegal logging as their livelihood, because the AFP will not hesitate to go after illegal loggers and those who tolerate it through buying it or consented their vehicles to be used for hauling illegal logs. We are reiterating our call to the LGUs to address this problem seriously,” Trinidad said.

The official noted that the troops of 36IB are committed in the government’s campaign against illegal logging in support to the government’s program in the preservation and protection of the environment.

http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1007673