Mayor hits PENRO for “inaction”

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines   â€” Murcia town Mayor Andrew Montelibano slammed the Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office for not taking a stand on the properties in the protected zone of the Northern Negros Natural Park  in Don Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental.

Montelibano raised this issue during the technical conference for the 40 people served by PENRO with cease and desist orders against the building of structures at the protected zone of the NNNP.

The mayor questioned PENRO for its issuance of the orders: “Why now? Why was it not done in the previous years?”

Montelibano said the property acquisition at the NNNP was approved by the DENR and there now more than 200 illegal occupants in the area.

PENRO must set the guidelines for the multiple use zone on the protected area, and it should make a recommendation to the Protected Area Management Board, said Montelibano although he pointed out that the board’s decision may be politically motivated.

“Let’s face the truth. Mayors will base their votes if  they’re allies or not. I’m a member of  the board. I won’t tell names. I will wait for the decision (of the PAMB). But if this goes the other way around, I will go to legalities. I will stand up for what I believe is right,” the mayor said.

Montelibano left the meeting an hour after, saying that he needed to officiate a wedding in his town. But he left a message: “This meeting is not going anywhere.”

PENRO head Andres Untal, for his part, challenged Montelibano to divulge the names. “It’s better that he reveal those names. Maybe that could solve our problem. In fairness to the DENR, it is doing its obligation.” he said.

Untal then urged the public to put in writing if they knew anything. “We’re not hiding anything, we’re transparent,” he said.

The PAMB has the final say, he said. “PENRO has no absolute decision here. We will only submit a report for the board to make a sound decision.”

Untal further said there is still an ongoing probe on the illegal occupants at the NNNP, adding that 15 more cease and desists orders will be issued soon. “We want to stop the structures they are building,” he said.  (FREEMAN)