Village Chief, 8 Others Caught For Illegal Logging In Isabela

February 10, 2021 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (February 10, 2021) – Cataguing, San Mariano, Isabela Barangay Chairman Harley Deolazo, 54, together with 8 others were taken dawn Wednesday after policemen caught them loading freshly sawn lumber unto a 6×6 truck along the river bank of the Pinacanauan river in the village official’s own village.

Deolazo and Helbert Martinez, 30; Donald Cachuela, 37; Jeffrey Deray, 31; Michael Bacani; Jomari Palattao, 29; all from barangay Buyasan; and 6×6 truck driver Jerold Malsi, 34; Jerrymi Malsi, 29; and Jackson Malsi, 37; all villagemates of the Deolazo, are going to face illegal logging charges, said Cagayan Valley region police director Brig. Gen.Crizaldo Nieves.

Isabela police said they were tipped of the illegal operation of the village chief with the 8 of his cohorts prompting a team of policemen to verify it along the river and caught the village chief and his cohorts at around 4:40AM Wednesday loading at least two thousand board feet of cut sawn lumber unto the 6X6 truck bearing plate number BCJ 617 owned by Deolazo.

The village chief and his cohorts including the sawn lumber and Deolazo’s truck were taken as evidences to the charges.

Artemio A. Dumlao