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[av_heading heading=’Reward offered for Hinoba-an illegal loggers’ arrest’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RANIE AZUE
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January 21, 2018
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BACOLOD City – The local government offered a P10,000 reward to anyone who can give information that may lead to the arrest of individuals cutting century-old Lawa-an trees located in Sitio Wilderness, Barangay Damutan, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.
Lawa-an trees are considered endangered species. Cutting them down are prohibited under the law.
Mayor Estrao said Barangay Damutan is a hot spot for illegal logging.
He added that the local government is trying its best to stop the illegal activity.
However, law enforcement personnel like the Bantay Lasang Group are having a hard time tracking down the illegal loggers in the area, which is 70 kilometers away from the town proper.
The area also has a thick forest comprised of endemic species of trees, making it hard to identify and catch the illegal loggers.
Currently, only 14 hectares of the 300-hectare Sitio Wilderness are covered with trees due to the logging operations of the Insular Lumber Corp. a few years ago, Estrao said.
He added that members of the Bantay Lasang Group reported illegal logging activities in the area recently.
The members said the illegal loggers were armed. That is why they failed to call the illegal loggers out, fearing for their safety.
Police accompanied the members upon returning to the area but the illegal loggers were no longer there.
They only found two Lawa-an tress already cut down./PN
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