Home › Regions › Illegal loggers cut down 31 trees in Leyte watershed By MELANIE L. BINGCO, ABS-CBN Tacloban Posted at 01/21/2009 9:48 PM | Updated as of 01/21/2009 9:48 PM DAGAMI, LEYTE – Government authorities cracked down on an alleged illegal logging operation after a resident was found transporting allegedly illegally-cut lumber. Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection group (CIDG) apprehended Charito Odog, resident of Barangay Buenavista in Dagami town in Leyte province because of transporting allegedly illegally-cut lumber from a watershed area Tuesday last week. A site inspection was then conducted by representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD), Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and CIDG Tuesday. Authorities reportedly found 31 red lawaan trees alllegedly cut down by still-unidentified illegal loggers. A temporary shelter believed to have been a resting place of the illegal loggers was also found in the area. Graciano Dela Torre, officer-in-charge of DENR station, said however that it was not the first time that the illegal activity happened in the area. Thirty one trees were also cut down in the area last June 2008. Dela Torre admitted that they find it hard to protect the area from illegal loggers because they are undermanned. “I only have six forest rangers that cover the mountains of 9 towns,” he said. LMWD, which supplies water in Leyte, expressed alarm over the said activities. The watershed area serves as the catch basin for water that cascade to rivers and down to Dagami River which then supplies water to several Leyte towns. “If we don’t have trees, the rain will wash away the mud to the rivers down to our water source. Last year we have already experienced discoloration in our water, that is already one of the effects,” said Ma. Teresa Pascua, LMWD Information Officer. Authorities therefore reiterated their call to stop illegal logging activities as it might also cause tragedies like floods and landslides that endanger life. abs-cbnnews/nation/regions/01/21/09/illegal-loggers-cut-down-31-trees-leyte-watershed
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 12:43:14 +0000
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