An illegal logger attacked and killed a forest ranger of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in El Nido, Palawan on Wednesday.
According to police reports, Bienvenido Severino Veguilla Jr., sustained hack wounds after he was attacked by Fernan Flores.
Flores was later arrested by responding policemen.
Veguilla reportedly tried to fire back using his service firearm and wounded Flores, who was later brought to Palawan Northern District Hospital in Taytay, Palawan.
Flores four other companions were able to escape. Two of them were identified as Cardo Fulgencio and Glen Fulgencio.
The same police report said Veguilla and five other DENR forest rangers were patrolling the area when they received an information on the alleged illegal logging activities in Sitio Kinagawan, Barangay Pasadeña.
The team proceeded to the area to verify the report and caught Carding Fulgencio in the act while reportedly in the act of cutting logs and lumbers using a chainsaw. The suspects immediately fled after they saw the forest rangers. With PNA
The forest rangers were returning to their office with the confiscated chainsaw when Fulgencio’s group, which were armed with a bolo and a homemade gun, blocked them.
“As a result thereof, the victim was cornered by Carding Fulgencio, Glen Fulgencio and Fernan Flores while the three other cohorts were armed and positioned near the place of incident,” the police said. “Then and there, the victim was hacked by Fernan Flores a.k.a. ‘Broy’ but the former was able to fire and retaliate towards the latter using his service firearm.” With PNA
Meanwhile, co-workers of Veguilla are seeking justice for his murder, asking authorities to capture his killers.
Veguilla Jr.’s friends have taken to social media to air their grief on the loss of the team leader of the law enforcement team of El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (ENTMRPA).
Ludybeth Nangkil, former legal counsel for Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in El Nido-Taytay, attested to Veguilla’s dedication to work as posted on a video shared on Facebook.
“I have seen your love and dedication to your work. Big salute to you for the time and bravery you have given to protect nature,” she said.
Some of them also started raising the bounty for the capture of his killers.
Edgardo Galeon, in a comment on Facebook, urged DENR- Mimaropa to post their contact number and bank details so people who want to help can deposit their donations.
“Marami ng biktima mula pa noon nasa Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) kami. Dapat magkaisa tayo. Huwag patulog tulog (There have been many victims already when I was still in Region 9. We should unite. We should not be complacent),” he added.
Another co-worker, Ernesto Diso also voice out his sentiment, saying Veguilla’s death is another wake-up call.
“During my K4 stint, I have been lobbying for the grant of hazard pay, insurance, and protective equipment for our forest rangers and also other field personnel involved in forest protection,” he said.
In a palawan-news.com report, Veguilla was hacked to death on Wednesday afternoon by a group of unidentified illegal loggers whose chainsaw were earlier confiscated by the group of Veguilla.
DENR-Mimaropa regional executive director Henry Adornado said Veguilla’s team was on regular monitoring patrol in the area of Sitio Kinawagan, Barangay Pasadeña when his group encountered the illegal loggers, accosted them, and confiscated their chainsaw.
“Noong pauwi na sila, along the way may nadaanan silang mga nag-cha-chainsaw, nagpo-power saw na mga timber poachers so hinuli nila. Dinala nila ‘yong power saw (On their way home, they caught men cutting timbers with a power saw. They confiscated the power saw),” Adornado said in the interview.
Authorities are still investigating the case. With PNA
