THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has started consolidating its forces in at least 31 known illegal logging “hot spots” in Mindanao as it gears for war against illegal loggers in

compliance with the President’s order declaring a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and residual forests.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council blamed illegal logging and mining as the principal causes of the destructive flash floods, spawned by heavy to intense rains recently brought by typhoon Pablo (international codename: Bopha) that washed out several municipalities in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces.

Maj. Gen. Nestor Añonuevo, commander of 4th Infantry Division, on Monday said that he has already gave instructions to all units under his command to prepare for the eventual handover of the anti-illegal logging operations to Army units in the division’s area of responsibility.

The 4th ID has jurisdiction among the known illegal logging hot spots in Mindanao that include the Caraga and Davao Regions and Northern Mindanao.

The Northern Mindanao region covers the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte,
Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

In Caraga Region, Col. Ronald Albano, commander of 402nd Infantry Brigade, said that he has also conducted a series of meetings with Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region XIII on the preparations for the anti-illegal logging operations that will be employed starting January 2013.

President Benigno Aquino 3rd earlier issued Executive Order 23, declaring a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and residual forests and creating the Anti-illegal Logging Task Force.

The task force is chaired by Environment Secretary Ramon Paje with the secretaries of the Department of Interior and the Local Government and Department of National Defense and the chiefs of the AFP and the Philippine National Police, as members.

But due to the presence of insurgents and armed groups employed by illegal loggers, the task force came out with Resolution 2012-005, converting the anti-illegal logging operations in Mindanao from a civilian to an active military operation.

At least 25 personnel and agents/partners of the Environment department have been killed during anti-illegal logging operations since the implementation of the order.

According to the Environment department, most of the 31 remaining illegal logging hotspots in the country are in the Caraga and Davao regions and in Northern Mindanao region.