MENRE leads adjudication proceedings for seized forest products in Upi, Maguindanao

COABATO CITY — Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) - Maguindanao Provincial Office held Wednesday, Oct. 13, an administrative adjudication proceedings on the seized 115 board feet of Gmelina species and 1 unit of a chainsaw in Brgy. Nuro, Upi, Maguindanao.
 
Upi Municipal Police Station (MPS) caught last August 7, 2021, two chainsaw operators and one Upi citizen who violated Presidential Decree 705 (Revised Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines) and Republic Act 9175 (Chainsaw Act of 2002).
 
The police report says the cutting operations and the chainsaw have no corresponding permits which resulted in the interception of the concerned forest products and equipment.
Currently, the perpetrators are under the custody of Upi MPS for proper disposition.
 
MENRE Deputy Minister Akmad Brahim said, “it is crucial that in our activities, involving the environment, we need to ensure that we are allowed to do so and that we are given permits to perform our business as our illegal acts will surely pose a danger to nature.”
 
Meanwhile, PENRE Officer of Maguindanao Lauban Abdul said that ensuring the legality of businesses (that may affect the environment) should be a top priority.
 
“You need to request permits from the MENRE to legalize your activities. Otherwise, our acts will surely be against the existing environmental and forestry laws,” Lauban told the perpetrators.
 
Also present at the proceeding were CENRE Officers Noroden S. Abdullah and Datumama K. Makartur, PENREO Maguindanao officials, Upi MPS representatives, including the apprehension officer and Upi Municipal ENR officers.
 
MENRE conducted the adjudication proceeding pursuant to DENR Administrative Order No. 97-32 or the “1997 Rules for the Administrative Adjudication of Illegal Forest Products and the Machinery, Equipment, Tools and Conveyances Used in Connection Therewith”. (Bangsamoro Information Office)