Local DENR exec gunned down in Bislig

BUTUAN CITY- A team leader and prosecutor of anti-illegal logging and smuggling campaign who is also the forest protection chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was shot dead Monday morning by two unidentified suspects near the DENR office in Maharlika village, Bislig City. Police identified the victim as Forester Rey Tugbang Baltazar, 42, married and a native of Bukidnon but is presently residing at Purok 3, Gamaon District, Bislig City. Investigation showed that the victim was proceeding to his office from his residence and upon reaching said DENR office parking area, two motorcycle-riding suspects shot him with their .45 caliber pistols, resulting to his death. Investigators claimed they are eyeing disagreement between the victim and rich illegal loggers as the cause of the killing. Another angle being looked at is the conflict on ancestral domain claims on the thousand of hectares of many alleged favored timber concession areas in the province and Bislig City where timber poaching is rampant. DENR Caraga regional executive director Benjamen Tumaliuan has asked for a speedy investigation of the incident, saying the early resolution of the killing will not dampen the morale in the DENR campaign against illegal logging. Baltazar was the 9th DENR personnel who have fallen to assassins' bullets since the start of illegal logging campaign by the DENR in 1992. - Alvin Guanzon, GMANews.TV