Illegal haulers ‘resisting’ arrest: Penro chief

ILLEGAL haulers of filling materials like sand, gravel and limestone filling are resisting apprehension, according to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) Head Baltazar Tribunalo.

Instead of surrender- ing their truck keys, drivers speed away, leaving the impounding guards helpless, Tribunalo said.

That happened in Toledo City last Friday night, where they stopped an overloaded truck without a delivery receipt. A simi- lar thing happened last Saturday night in the City of Naga.

“They’re taking advantage of the fact that they have power and they have political backing,” Tribunalo said in Cebuano.

He, however, did not name any official after admitting that he has no proof.

He said he is consulting lawyers at the Provincial Legal Office for possible additional charges they can file against haulers who flagrantly violate the law and mock the im- pounding process.

Tribunalo said there had been unauthorized trucks leaving the impounding area but their drivers usually returned to pay the fines.

But now, he said the trucks speed off when these are flagged down.

Last June, Penro collected P1.107 million in fines. This went up to P1.414 million the next month.

The office, though, has reported fewer violations but more resistance, he said.