DENR inventories protected areas

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is currently conducting an inventory of tenured migrants living within the area covered by the Central Cebu Protected Landscape.

This following reports and findings from the actual field inspection conducted by DENR monitoring team last May 27 where it was found that there is illegal trade of land patents within the CCPL.

DENR wants to have a clear inventory of the individuals or households the law allowed to stay or operate in the area despite its being declared a protected landscape to help in the ongoing investigation of parties in that have violated Republic Act 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Area System Act, which mandates that any development inside a protected area without a permit from the DENR is prohibited.

On the initial results of the investigation, a certain Betty Rivero is facing charges for allegedly undertaking actual developments such as the construction of an access road, a pool and impounding dam, flower gardens, and trails inside the CCPL.

DENR-7 Regional Investigation Team recommended for the filing of criminal charges against Rivero and her company as well as the denial of her application for Special Agreement inside Protected Area for violation of the NIPAS Act.

Rivero allegedly acquired the subject lands through sales and transfer of rights from the father of Damiano Alcantara who had an agreement with her to develop the land.

She then sold a portion to a certain Raul Murillo, who constructed a two-story building, another portion was sold to a certain Edmundo Misal who developed the land for guava plantation.

The land was located inside the coverage of a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the DENR and retired PNP general Tiburcio Fusilero which is a co-management agreement on “Adopt-a-Mountain Program” covering 504 hectares located in Cantipla, Tabunan, executed last November 15, 2000.

“A survey team will be constituted to conduct an actual ground survey detailing all the developments introduced by Fusilero inside his MOA. Survey will include the number of tenured migrants allowed to operate in the area because as of 2004, only around 70 tenured migrants are within the MOA of general Fusilero,” said DENR-7 regional executive director Leonardo Sibbaluca.

DENR, however, recognized the efforts of Fusilero in protecting and rehabilitating the remaining last stand of the natural forest of Cebu City, but the discovery of other individuals operating in the area alarmed them.

“I urge those persons who may have information as to who are those DENR officials who may have aided or connived to the buying and selling of certain areas within CCPL to come to my office so that we can proceed with the filing of necessary administrative and criminal cases against them,” Sibbaluca said.

Those who will be found ineligible to stay within the CCPL will undergo ejection proceedings or face criminal charges. Individuals allowed to stay and operate there are only those who have been living in the area before it was declared a protected landscape or those who have acquired special permit from DENR.

DENR again advised the public not to buy lands inside a protected area specifically within Buhisan Watershed, Mananga Watershed, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and Cotcot-Lusaran Watershed. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP (THE FREEMAN)