Atienza sacks DENR chief in Isabela

ILAGAN, Isabela – Despite some opposition, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza proceeded to relieve forester Felix Taguba as the provincial environment and natural resources officer.

A 2007 Forester of the Year awardee, Taguba, who described his relief as “without due process,” formally relinquished his post the other day, barely two weeks after Atienza ordered his transfer to the DENR regional office in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

“Although I felt that my sudden transfer was unceremonious and tainted with politics, as a good soldier and a public servant, I have to adhere to the order of higher authorities,” said Taguba, who was replaced by one of his subordinates, community environment and natural resources officer Alfredo Almueda, as officer-in-charge.

Atienza’s order came in the wake of reported “policy differences” and lack of coordination on anti-illegal logging activities between Taguba’s office and the provincial government, which reactivated last month its multisectoral anti-logging task force amid the reported unabated illegal logging in the province.

Taguba’s sentiments were reportedly also aggravated by Atienza’s issuing last month a deputization order to Gov. Grace Padaca, authorizing her to apprehend and file cases against illegal loggers and confiscate and dispose of illegally cut forest products.

Sources said Taguba felt bypassed by the deputization order despite his “outstanding accomplishments” as the DENR head in this third largest province.

Taguba’s successor even wrote a personal letter to Atienza, declining his appointment, saying, “He could not just take the post of a man who has done so much in the interest of the environment and his staff.”

Since 2004, calls for Taguba’s relief led by the Catholic Church here, had mounted due to what was perceived as his inability to contain illegal logging.

Even Padaca herself earlier expressed her disappointment on the performance of the local DENR office, citing reports on rampant illegal cutting of trees in the province.

Taguba, a native of Cagayan Valley, belied these accusations, saying, “Our performance will speak for itself… that we were never remiss on our duties in safeguarding the environment even if it cost our jobs and our lives.”

“But I respect the opinion of the Church and the good governor… What’s important here is I have a clear conscience… that we did our job well despite outside pressures,” he said.