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KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 18 April) – At least five lumberyards and sawmills in Kabacan, North Cotabato were padlocked Tuesday for lack of business permits and other legal requirements.
But the operators were nowhere to be found, Chief Inspector Roni Cordero, chief of Kabacan police said.
Cordero identified the owners as Toto Juanito, Bobby Karim, a certain Mrs. Nawal, and Rusty Tubuan.
Kabacan police and soldiers from the 7th Infantry Battalion raided Tuesday the illegal lumberyards and sawmills located in Barangay Kayaga.
They seized at least 6,000 board feet of illegal lumber, five units of sawmills, and around 200 chairs.
The raiding team arrested Nasser Lintongan, 22, of Pagalungan, Maguindanao, who was caught selling illegal lumber in his lumberyard in Kayaga.
Cordero said that anytime they will launch a manhunt against the owners of the lumberyards while charges are being readied against them.
The seized items were turned over to the office of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office in Kabacan for safekeeping. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)