AGARWOOD SEIZED. Agents of the NBI Environmental Crime Division (ENCD) seize 6.4 kgs. of agarwood from suspect Rafael Fabia in an entrapment in Barangay North Fairview, Quezon City on Tuesday (Aug. 25, 2020). Agarwood, also known as ‘the wood of the Gods’, is classified as an endangered wood species. (Photo courtesy of NBI)
MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday announced the arrest of a man engaged in selling agarwood which is an endangered wood species.
In a statement, NBI officer-in-charge (OIC)-director Eric Distor said Rafael Fabia was arrested in an entrapment by the bureau's Environmental Crime Division (ENCD) on Tuesday, in response to information regarding a group of individuals in North Fairview, Quezon City allegedly trading and in possession of agarwood.
ENCD operatives contacted Fabia and agreed to buy agarwood worth PHP40,000.
On the same day, NBI-ENCD together with the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources proceeded to the target area.
Two undercover agents posed as buyers and were taken by Fabia inside a compound and showed them a bulk of wood chips confirmed to be Agarwood.
The operatives nabbed Fabia and seized 6.46 kgs. of agarwood chips with an estimated market value of over PHP1 million.
Agarwood, also known as ‘the wood of the Gods’, has a variety of uses in Asia from incense for religious ceremonies, perfume, medicinal wine in Korea and China.
The wood is also processed and either turned into oil or chips ground into powder which is used as the raw material for incense making or traditional medicine for asthma, hypertension, hepatitis, among other ailments.
Fabia underwent inquest proceedings at the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday, for violation of Section 77 (formerly Section 68) of Presidential Decree. 705, as amended by Executive Order 277 and Republic Act (RA) 7161, otherwise known as “Wildlife Forestry Code of the Philippines; and violation of Section 27 (e) and (f) of RA 9147 otherwise known as “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act”. (PNA)
