P1 million ‘hot’ logs seized in Nueva Ecija; illegal logger named

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — Police and military personnel recently confiscated at least 6,000 board feet of illegally cut lumber valued at P1 million in Jaen, Nueva Ecija. 

Paquito Moreno, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Central Luzon director, said the raid on the compound in Barangay Langla, which yielded premium species of yakal, lauan and molave was based on a search warrant issued by a local court.

“These species are banned from being cut... They were obviously illegally sourced from our remaining natural forest at the Sierra Madre mountains,” Moreno said yesterday. 

The DENR is not issuing any permit for the extraction and utilization of the wood species, Moreno stressed.

Fred Sadueste, DENR regional enforcement division chief, said the owner of the compound had registered his business as a hardware and construction company under the name of Jocelyn Flaminiano.  

The DENR regional office said the Flaminiano group controls about 60 percent of illegal lumber trading sourced from the Sierra Madre mountain range.

“Illegal forest products come from Sierra Madre... in Doña Remedios Trinidad town in Bulacan and transported  through the river system of Sumacbao to Gen. Tinio in Nueva Ecija,” the DENR said.