Illegal cutting of live trees along MNR resumes
IN VIOLATION OF DENR PERMIT
POZORRUBIO – While most residents of Barangay Rosario of this town slept unmindful of clearing operations along the Manila North Road (MNR), the cutting of live trees surreptitiously by a DPWH contractor contractor has resumed last weekend.
By the time residents realized what was happening, at least six trees including one narra tree were allegedly felled by R.A. Pahati Construction and Supply Inc., a contractor for the MNR road widening project in the two areas.
When a representative of a non-government organization tried to verify from the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) the claim of an employee of the contractor that a permit for the cutting of the trees has been issued, he was told that the local office did not issue a permit as claimed.
It turned out that the permit was issued by the regional office on the basis of the authority granted by DENR undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio Jr. dated July 21, 2015 authorizing tree cutting only of dead and or dying trees along the MNR.
Virginia Pasalo, trustee of the Women in Development Foundation, and commissioner of the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission, condemned the illegal cutting and vowed complaints will be filed in court against the contractor, and whoever was responsible for the illegal the cutting of live trees in violation of the permit’s prescription.
The permit identified the 158 dead trees and 28 dying trees which were among the 770 trees girdled early last year.
The permit also specified that the “cutting operations shall at all times be under the strict supervision of the Regional Office and/or PENRO Pangasinan and/or CENRO Urdaneta City as the authorized representative(s). It shall be the responsibility of this office through CENRO Urdaneta City to properly monitor of the compliance of the permittee on the terms and conditions of this permit.”
The PUNCH tried to reach PENRO Pangasinan and CENRO Urdaneta City for comments but failed.
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