The National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday said operatives of the Bureau’s Environmental Crime Division (NBI-EnCD) arrested two persons for illegally keeping an estimated P50 million worth of timber or lumber in Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City.
NBI Director Dante Gierran identified the suspects as Erwin Villegas and Rolly Martin.
The joint operation of NBI-EnCD and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which led to the arrest of the suspects and the seizure of various lumber of narra, yakal, molave, bolong, and other species, arose from a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 94 in Quezon City.
A woodworking planer and chainsaw were also seized during the operation, conducted to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to enforce a total logging moratorium.
Duterte has mandated the DENR’s Environmental Crime Task Force to formulate an operational plan to be implemented in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Justice, the Ombudsman, and the NBI-EnCD.