ILIGAN CITY — Authorities seized an estimated ₱450,000 worth of Lauan lumber and arrested two men after a wing van truck carrying the forest products was intercepted at a checkpoint along Macapagal Highway in Barangay Suarez on September 9.
The operation was conducted at around 7:40 a.m. by personnel of the City Intelligence Unit, Iligan City Mobile Force Company, and Police Station 2, in coordination with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Iligan.
Authorities said they stopped and inspected the wing van truck during the checkpoint operation. The inspection led to the discovery of Lauan lumber of various dimensions loaded inside the vehicle, with the shipment estimated at approximately 9,000 board feet and carrying an estimated market value of ₱450,000.
The two occupants of the truck reportedly failed to present the required permits, legal documents, or other proof showing that the lumber had been legally sourced, possessed, and transported.
Arrested were the 30-year-old driver and his 20-year-old companion, both residents of San Fernando, Cebu. Their identities were not provided in the initial report.
The wing van truck allegedly used to transport the forest products was also confiscated by authorities as part of the operation.
The seized lumber and vehicle were placed under the custody of the Iligan City Mobile Force Company, while the two arrested individuals were brought under the custody of Police Station 2 for proper disposition and further legal proceedings.
Authorities are treating the incident as a possible violation of Presidential Decree No. 705, or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, particularly provisions governing the possession, transport, and movement of forest products without the required legal documents.
The seizure highlights the continuing enforcement efforts against the unauthorized movement of forest products, with authorities requiring transporters to establish the legal origin and proper documentation of timber being moved from one location to another.
The case remains subject to further investigation and the appropriate determination by authorities and prosecutors regarding any criminal liability.