Penalizing Timber Smuggling or Illegal Cutting of Logs From Public Forests and Forest Reserves as Qualified Theft

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Presidential Decree No. 330

Penalizing Timber Smuggling or Illegal Cutting of Logs from Public Forests and Forest Reserves as Qualified Theft

- Recognizes the importance of preserving and conserving public forests and forest reserves for future generations. (Preamble)
- Highlights the vital role of public forests and forest reserves as sources of logs and wood products essential to the national economy. (Preamble)
- Emphasizes the duty of citizens to protect public forests and forest reserves from indiscriminate logging, denudation, and destruction. (Preamble)
- Aims to discourage further forest destruction and denudation to conserve remaining public forests and forest reserves. (Preamble)

Provisions:

- Any person, natural or juridical, who directly or indirectly cuts, gathers, removes, or smuggles timber or other forest products from public forests, forest reserves, or other public forests, whether under license or lease, or from privately owned forest lands in violation of existing laws, rules, and regulations, shall be guilty of the crime of qualified theft as defined and penalized under Articles 308, 309, and 310 of the Revised Penal Code. (Section 1)
- If the offender is a corporation, firm, partnership, or association, the penalty shall be imposed on the guilty officer(s). (Section 1)
- If the guilty officer(s) are aliens, in addition to the prescribed penalty, they shall be deported without further proceedings by the Commissioner of Immigration and Deportation. (Section 1)
- All laws, rules, and regulations inconsistent with this decree are repealed or modified accordingly. (Section 2)
- This decree shall take effect immediately after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation in the country. (Section 3)