1,900 bd. ft. of ‘illegal logs’ confiscated from an ‘untouchable’ logger in Mindoro
CALAPAN CITY – A special police operating team arrested a supposedly “untouchable” illegal logger last Sunday (March 18) after the suspect was caught transporting a total of 1,900 board feet of high-valued woods in Bansud town in Oriental Mindoro.
The suspect was identified by Philippine National Police (PNP) Oriental Mindoro Director Sr. Supt. Anthony Alcañeses as Melecio U. Dagli, 54, and a resident of Brgy. Conrazon, Bansud. Acordingly, Dagli is a known “illegal logger” who eluded many anti-illegal logging operations by authorities in the past.
Colonel Alcañeses stated that the suspect was arrested by the PNP Special Operations Group (PSOG), led by SPO1 Rexy Ylagan, while transporting the undocumented lumber in a six-by-six truck presumably came from a mountain some 40 kilometers away from the Bansud town proper.
Upon inspection, “illegal logs” such as lawaan and tangile species were confiscated from Dagli.
And during the subsequent police interrogation, the suspect admitted that the logs are indeed no proper documentations from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) because his transporting of the said woods was already “known” to some local authorities.
Dagli also admitted that the sawn logs were ordered from an alias “Everest” who operates a sawmill in Bansud.
As he pleaded to the police to release him, his truck and logs, Dagli was said to have bragged the names of some higher provincial officials. But the apprehending policemen, who are now being called here as “eco warriors” for its special operations aimed at enforcing environmental laws, did not budge. The suspect was apprehended and brought to the PNP MIMAROPA headquarters here.
With the said successful operation, Alcañeses commended the PSOG operatives who are composed of P/Insp. Davy Hebron, PO3 Christian Rex de Guzman, PO3 Mitchel Waoi, PO2 Juan Lingon, PO2 Melvin Gabayno and PO2 Christian Atienza for a “job well done.”
The confiscated logs were already turned over by the PNP here to the DENR community office to be used as evidences for cases to be filed by the government on Dagli and his driver named Melvin Zamora. (By JUANCHO R. MAHUSAY)
