July 6, 2012

       In the continuing probe of the June 28, 2012 seizure of 55 container vans containing illegal lumber in Manila, a team of NBI agents later dispatched successfully traced the loading area in Davao City leading to the confiscation of eighteen (18) more twenty-footer vans suspected to contain illegal timber today.

      The pinpointed places are in Pasian, Monkayo and Campostela Valley where the truckers load the illegally cut timbers and hauled these products to Davao City Port. An undetermined quantity of illegal timber, Red Lawa-an, were discovered in the same rebel-infested area where the loading of lumber was done roughly a week before.

   Coordination with the DENR Office was immediately made. Upon arrival of the DENR team, the illegally sourced forest products were properly turned over to the DENR team leader. Another NBI group collated all pertinent documents from the Community Environment & Natural Resources Office (CENRO), Provincial Environment & Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and the Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Office (Region XI).

   In the early morning of July 6, 2012, the NBI received a written request from the management of Lorenzo Container Yard in Davao City that their company is willing to cooperate into the on-going probe by the NBI. Consequently, eighteen (18) 20-footer vans suspected containing illegal timber were voluntarily opened in the presence of the NBI, representatives from the DENR Region XI, Task force Against Illegal Logging and media.

  The aggregate value of all the 73 container vans is estimated to be over P20 million, excluding those discovered in Monkayo, Campostela Valley.