The Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI) has turned over more than 300 chainsaws to Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) in a ceremony held on Wednesday.
These chainsaws were confiscated by PNNI enforcers in several operations that they conducted in various parts of Palawan citing citizen’s arrest as legal basis.
In a statement, the PCSD said that they have been sending notices to PNNI since 2013 to turned over and surrender the confiscated chainsaws to their office.
“Section 9 of the Republic Act 9175 known as Chainsaw Act of 2002 provides that PCSD is mandated to implement the said law in Palawan,” the PCSD said.
The chainsaws will be documented, inventoried and then it will be stored in PSTDI, Brgy. Irawan, Puerto Princesa City for safekeeping and proper disposition procedures.
The PCSD further said that even from the start of the community quarantine, they did not stop its operations to apprehend illegal loggers and confiscate chainsaw without proper permits.
“From March up to June 2020, there were 13 apprehensions and/or confiscation of unregistered chainsaw units all throughout the province,” the PCSD said.