Ocon says wood is legal, flashes his receipt

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

COUNCILOR Zaldy Ocon on Monday defended himself before the city council from criticisms he tried to bring in illegal lumber from Surigao del Sur to this city during the city’s fiesta. He then showed the city council a receipt as his proof that he bought the hardwood and therefore, it was legal.

But Councilor Leon Gan said Ocon’s receipt did not prove anything except that he bought the protected hardwood species.

Ocon, chair of the committee on environment, has been receiving flak after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) confiscated lumber from his pick-up truck that figured in a vehicular accident in Medina town in Aug. 28.

During the city council’s regular session, Ocon showed the receipt that the seized lumber were “finished furniture products” that he bought in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, for P29 thousand. He said the lumber were supposed to have been doors for a house he is building in Barangay Cugman.

“Kon naay makapamatuod… nga ako namaligya ug kahoy ug kinsay akong gibaligyaan, dili na ako magpakaulaw sa pag atobang sa konseho. Ako na mismo ang mohawa ug mo resign sa akong katungdanan,” Ocon told his peers at the city council.

Councilor Gan however doubted Ocon’s claims, saying that the receipt does not prove anything except ownership.

He said Ocon has not been criticized for buying and selling lumber but whether or not these were legally cut.

“Wala may nag akusar ni Kagawad Ocon nga namaligya siya ug kahoy. Wala po’y nag ingon nga namalit siya og illegal. Apan mas maayo nga mahatagan lang og katinawan kon unsa mga pamaagi ngano nga nadala ang maong mga kahoy nga wala’y igo nga permit,” Gan said.