Councilman nabbed for picking bonsai

CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte, April 12—Police apprehended last night a barangay kagawad for allegedly possessing a bonsai plant believed uprooted from a rock formation in Brgy. Pangil, this town.
Police Chief Ryan Retotar said it was accidental that his men saw the bonsai plant protruding in the backpack of the suspect.
Earlier, the suspect responded to a vehicular accident involving his two friends in Brgy. Uno here.
The suspect’s protruding bonsai in his backpack caught the attention of the responding policemen, thus, they arrested him.
A report said an existing municipal ordinance here prohibits the illegal collecting, gathering, and picking of bonsai plants that are naturally grown in the rock formations and other areas here that are declared as a protected municipal park.
The ordinance imposes on any violators a fine of P2,000 for a first offense, P2,500 for a second offense and P3,000 for a third offense with one-month imprisonment upon the discretion of the court.(tsg /ga report)