KORONADAL CITY (August 28) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-12, together with partner agencies, confiscated over 3,400 board feet of illegally sourced lumber during a joint operation in Maitum, Sarangani Province, on August 21, 2025.
Authorities seized 102 pieces of Yakal and Lauan hardwood, valued at ₱157,408.65, which were being used in unauthorized boat-making operations. These species are highly regulated due to their ecological importance, and initial findings suggest the wood may have been taken from protected forest areas.
The operation was carried out with support from PENRO Sarangani, CENRO Kiamba, PAMO-SBPS, PNP-Maritime Group, the Philippine Coast Guard, and MENRO Maitum.
According to DENR-12, this latest seizure adds to the more than 10,000 board feet of illegal lumber already confiscated in Region 12 since the start of 2025.
Show-Cause and Cease-and-Desist Orders will be issued against the identified violators, while an adjudication hearing has been scheduled to determine penalties. DENR-12 reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying forest law enforcement, stressing the need to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable management of natural resources in the region.
