CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Authorities have arrested four individuals in Brgy. Poblacion 1, Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija, Wednesday (June 28).
Citing the reports submitted by the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office headed by Col. Richard Caballero, NE provincial director to Police Regional Office 3, a team of Peñaranda MPS while conducting checkpoint operation hailed a truck loaded with sacks of charcoal along Peñaranda Road around 2 a.m.
Upon inspection, 362 undocumented sacks of charcoal amounting to P126,700.00 estimated market value were discovered.
Col. Caballero identified the arrested individuals as Crispin Pajarillaga, truck driver; Sherwin Samson; Bobby Rence Melgar; and Darwin Bacani; all residents of Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
Caballero said that authorities are also in pursuit of the owner of the illegal cargo identified as Mark Joseph Abes, who is also a native of Gen. Tinio.
Appropriate charges for violation of PD 705 (Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines) are being prepared against the suspects for court referral.
“This serves as a stern warning to the public against wanton cutting down of trees, transporting of firewood, possession, and selling of charcoal without the requisite permits,” Brig. Gen. Jose S. Hidalgo Jr., PRO 3 regional director said. (UnliNews Online)
