Anti-illegal logging now military operations in NL, CL
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By EDSELLE MAE Q. RAMAT
www.nordis.net
BAGUIO CITY — Various illegal-logging-related violence in Northern Luzon pushed the National Task Force to sign a resolution converting anti-illegal logging operation in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Region I and Region II and Central Luzon to active military instead of a civilian operation.
On March 7, the secretaries of the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) together with the Philippine National Police Chief and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff signed Anti Illegal Logging Task Force Resolution No. 2013-001.
According to the murder of Cagayan province Forest Specialist Melanie Dirain in her office on February 7, 2012 and Quirino province Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Alfredo Almueda while manning a checkpoint last January 1 are indications of the escalating illegal-logging related violence.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Director Clarence L. Baguilat presented the said resolution during the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) meeting last May 2.
Baguilat explained that the incidents endangering the lives of DENR personnel is similar to the incidents in Mindanao. He added that the anti-illegal logging operations in Mindanao was converted to active military earlier.
The DENR regional director added that they still have to coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), PNP, AFP and DILG. # nordis.net
