Dela Rosa vows to help fight illegal logging

PNP Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa vowed to help in the fight against illegal logging operation in the country. The PNP Chief assured this in his message during the 115th PNP Service Anniversary celebration at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez the headquarters of the PRO13 in Butuan City on August 15.

“We will help Environment Secretary Gina Lopez in another war against illegal loggers soon, after we already hit our target against illegal drugs, illegal gambling and other forms of criminalities,” Dela Rosa said.

The PNP chief is aiming to deliver a hundred percent success in the fight against illegal drugs within the six months, as promised by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Dela Rosa is confident that they are well within the target, considering that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) estimated that there have been 600,000 drug users and pushers who either surrendered or killed out of the 1.8 million drug personalities in the country.

He stressed that the whole PNP hierarchy down to lower units are set to help in the environment preservation and forest protection to avert any catastrophic incident that may occur in the future.

“Kung mubaha ang Butuan tungod sa illegal logging kinsa may sisihon, kamo ang hinungdan nga mga nagdawat gikan sa mga illegal loggers” (If Butuan will be flooded because of illegal logging, who will be accused? you who received money from illegal loggers), a strongly-worded statement of the PNP chief, by pinpointing some members of the PNP and DENR.

“Hunahunaon nato unsay epekto sa illegal logging operation… magbag-o nata karon,” (We must think of the effect of illegal logging, we must change now), stressed further of Dela Rosa, adding “Ayaw jud mo magpasilaw sa kwarta” (Don’t be lured by money).

“Mga bukid upaw-upaw na karon, protektahan nato ang kinaiyahan… mag-bag-o nata, sabayan natin ang pagbabago ng ating bansa” (Mountains are already denuded, we must protect our environment… we must change, let’s join the change of our country,” added further the PNP chief.

In closing, Dela Rosa rallied behind all officials from all agencies of the government, the local government units and the citizenry to help the fight against illegal logging in an effort to avert the further destruction of the environment.

Caraga region is considered the last bastion of timber-corridor in the country today.

The DENR recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the PNP and the AFP, for the creation of the task force called “A-TEAM Kalikasan.”Other parties to the MOA are the Department of National Defense, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Transportation, and the Philippine Coast Guard.