BUTUAN CITY – Authorities seized on Wednesday a total of 3,199.66 board ft. of illegally gathered ironwood, locally known as ‘magkuno’, in an early morning checkpoint operation in Purok 6, Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
Col. James Goforth, director of the Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office, said the operation stemmed from information received by the local police regarding the transport of the lumber products.
“Personnel from the local police station in Lianga with the support of 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of Surigao del Sur set up a checkpoint at around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday and intercepted a wing van truck with plate no. 124110,” Goforth said.
The magkuno lumber products seized have a total market value of PHP319,966, he added.
The police also arrested the truck’s driver Albert Liquit Caspe, 34, a resident of 0631 Bukal Sur, Candelaria, Quezon.
Goforth said they are still conducting an investigation to determine the other personalities involved in the illegal gathering and transport of the contraband.
Caspe is now under the custody of the Lianga police station and will face charges for violation of Presidential Decree No. 705, or the Forestry Code of the Philippines.
Source: Philippines News Agency
