Illegal Charcoal Intercepted

Alabel, Sarangani Province, 1 June 2017 – Sacks of charcoal were deposited at the Sarangani Police Provincial Office, Kawas, Alabel, Sarangani after a certain Jeffry Cobita, driver of a private vehicle loaded with 39 sacks of wood charcoal was apprehended in a PNP checkpoint at Maribulan, Alabel, Sarangani, early morning on May 31, 2017 after failing to show transport document.

In the report of PCI Roy Yasay of the Sarangani Provincial Public Safety Company, PNP, SPO2 Pilardo Marquez, intercepted the vehicle, a red Toyota Liteace bearing plate number LDP 335, loaded with sacks of charcoal, during a routine checkpoint, searched the vehicle and found the illegal cargo.

Under existing law, wood charcoal as a by-product of timber or forest product, utilization and transportation of the same should be accompanied with necessary permits. Charcoal- making can cause rapid depletion of forest cover if unregulated. Under the law, one can only cut timber planted in titled or private land and should secure permit from the nearest Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The case is currently investigated by the DENR under the supervision of CENR Officer Elvira Lumayag. (Wenie G. Vergara and Lemuel Frias/DENR – Glan, Sarangani)