The cut lumber, big and small, ready to be burnt into charcoal.
The trail of destruction left by the wanton cutting of trees.
Matag-ob, Leyte – Charcoal makers have been wantonly deforesting a forested area in this town while authorities here have hit the alleged inaction of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office to their requests to probe the incidents, and act against the illegal loggers.
On the other hand, CENR officer Alejandro Bautista has denied they did not act on the reports to them, saying they are now poised to file a complaint against four kaingeros the police caught after the PNP in Matag-ob have submitted their affidavits to their office.
Bautista said that before his office could file charges against the suspects, they needed the sworn affidavits of the law enforcers who caught the kaingeros on an inspection at the site.
The suspects were identified as Francisco Canonigo, Eleuterio Laso, Simson Real and Laidio Tigbawan, all of Sitio Mahayahan, Brgy. Monterico in Ormoc City. They were apprehended last August 19, after the PNP caught them in action while cutting several trees of different species and making charcoal.
The police posse was headed by Chief Insp. Jose Yap himself, the chief of police, who said he was acting on the instruction and request of Mayor Mike Torrevillas of the town to investigate reports that illegal logging was rampant at Brgy. San Vicente.
He added they had to release the four after several hours, after no complaint was filed against them. The charcoal confiscated from them had been turned over to the custody of the CENRO, some 80 kilometers away from the town, and the cut wood had to be left in the mountains because it was cumbersome to bring them down.
“Daghan kaayo ning mga naputol-putol nang punuan, mga buhi pa gyud so pwerting bug-ata ug lisod pa gyud ang dalan, pwerting bukira, hait ang bato, dangog ang yuta”, Ch. Insp. Jose Yap explained.
This August 22, Sunday, the site was revisited for documentation. Scattered around the side were several cut logs, ready for drying and to be made into charcoal. A swathe of destruction pervaded the scenery. Big and small trees were felled.
In an interview with one of the arrested charcoal makers, Francisco Canonigo said that all they know is their great grandparents owned the land but they didn’t secure permits to cut the lumber because the CENRO was far away. They were also apprehensive about the cost of getting the proper permits. “Mahal man tingali na ug lisod pud magkuha ana sa DENR. Alkanse mi kay uling ragud ni”, he said.
He also said informed that one Eladio Tigbawan buys their charcoal at P100.00 per sack. It was not clear if it was the same Tigbawan who was arrested along with them.
Each of the kaingeros are said to own three to five hectares of land in the area. They added that after clearing the area, they plan to replace the “bald” forest by planting fruit trees and they will start it soon.
On the other hand, the local government here and its police strongly condemned the illegal logging especially kaingin because even the very small trees were cut down. “Ang lisod pa gyud ining kaingin kay bisan mga gagmayng punu-an puohon, kumpara sa logging para lumber nga mga guwang ug dagko rang kahoy ang putlon, maonang suko jud kaayu si mayor” the police end.
Mayor Torrevillas is known to be a nature-lover and an environmentalist. He has even brought his passion for animals and trees to the municipal hall, where more than a hundred guinea pigs roam freely alongside turtles and rabbits. The town’s garbage collection is eco-friendly and economically “grass-fuelled” – a trained cow which goes around town hitched to a cart. with a report from LMJ
.jpg "FOUNDATION QUEEN (Copy)")
