Amending Section 68 of Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 705, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, For the Purpose of Penalizing Possession of Timber Or Other Forest Products Without the Legal Documents Required By Existing Forest Laws, Authorizing the Confiscation of Illegally Cut, Gathered. Removed and Possessed Forest Products, and Granting Rewards To Informers of Violations of Forestry Laws, Rules and Regulations

Case Overview and Summary

Executive Order No. 277 amends Section 68 of the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 705) and introduces new Sections 68-A and 68-B.

Amended Section 68:
- Penalizes cutting, gathering, collecting, removing timber or other forest products from any forest land, alienable or disposable public land, or private land without authority. (Sec. 1)
- Penalizes possession of timber or other forest products without legal documents required under existing forest laws and regulations. (Sec. 1)
- Imposes penalties under Articles 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code. (Sec. 1)
- For partnerships, associations, or corporations, officers who ordered the illegal acts shall be liable. (Sec. 1)
- If the liable officers are aliens, they shall be deported in addition to the penalty. (Sec. 1)
- Mandates confiscation of illegally cut, gathered, collected, removed, or possessed timber or forest products, as well as machinery, equipment, implements, and tools used illegally. (Sec. 1)

New Section 68-A:
- Authorizes the Department Head or duly authorized representative to order confiscation of illegally cut, gathered, removed, possessed, or abandoned forest products and conveyances used in the offense. (Sec. 2)
- Allows disposal of confiscated items in accordance with pertinent laws, regulations, or policies. (Sec. 2)

New Section 68-B:
- Provides a reward of twenty percent (20%) of the proceeds from confiscated forest products to informants who provide information leading to apprehension, conviction of offenders, or confiscation. (Sec. 2)