PENRO probing loss of town’s trees

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office is doing an ‘independent’ investigation into the cutting of trees at a Pinamungajan town without the necessary permit

Lawyer Chad Estella, PENRO officer-in-charge, said the PENRO Forest Management will also determine who should be held liable for the cutting of 65 trees.

The hospital, located within the compound of Dr. Jose Maria V. Borromeo Memorial District Hospital in Barangay Pandacan, is implementing an expansion project.

 The investigating body would present its findings and recommendations to Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

“This (investigation) is only for Gov’s consumption. Meaning purely admin,” Estella said in a message to the The FREEMAN.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a cease and desist order dated February 02, 2015 to Chief of Hospital Feleus Bascon to stop the cutting of trees due to lack of necessary clearance and tree cutting permit from the agency.

DENR is also working on the gathering of evidence for the filing of charges against those responsible for the cutting of the trees.

Estella said that before the issuance of the CDO, he had conferred with CENRO-Toledo City Chief Fedencio Carreon, who confirmed to him that the cutting operation proceeded with authorization from CENRO.

“I was surprised gani sa issuance sa CDO. (But) Wa man siyay authority kay ang (DENR) Secretary ra man or ang Region. Prior sa issuance sa CDO iya nang gikompirmar,” he said.

Estella said the district hospital, which undertook the cutting operations, and the province, which supervises the project, were acting only “in good faith.”

He believes that the only violation committed in Pinamungjan is the failure to secure transport documents for the flitches away from the hospital premises.

Despite the issues and the stoppage order, however, construction activities at the Pinamungajan District Hospital continued. — (FREEMAN)