THE ENVIRONMENT Department Has Formed Two Fact-Finding Teams

THE ENVIRONMENT department has formed two fact-finding teams that will investigate field officers amid unabated illegal logging operations in Mindanao, the agency announced yesterday. In a statement, Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus P. Paje said that the two teams were formed following the seizure of 55 vans that carried illegal lumber from Davao City at the North Harbor in Manila on June 28. The vans are now being held by the Bureau of Customs, according to the department. “[The] bulk of the confiscations we have been making have been traced to Mindanao particularly in Regions 11 (Davao) and 13 (Caraga). This is unacceptable in light of EO (Executive Order) 23 which has been in effect for over a year now, ” said Mr. Paje. EO 23, which declared a moratorium on the cutting of timber in natural and residual forests nationwide, as well as the issuance of tree-cutting permits, was issued by President Benigno S. C. Aquino III on Feb. 1, 2011. The two teams, the Cabinet official said, will look into the liability of the department’s field officers in Regions 11 and 13 “either by negligence or collusion with illegal loggers” to determine the continued confiscations of lumber despite the moratorium. “There is a need to pinpoint as to who should really be made answerable and accountable for all this blatant disregard of our environmental laws, which would impact not only on us but also the generations of Filipinos that will come after us, ” said Mr. Paje. Last week, the Environment chief has ordered the relief of 31 officials and employees of the department in the two regions for their alleged failure to stop illegal logging. As of June 30, a total of 33 personnel of the department have been dismissed, suspended, fined or reprimanded, 34 formally charged, and 180 issued with show-cause memoranda due to illegal logging-related offenses. “This move is in keeping with the President’s pledge to the people that his administration’s green agenda will be marked by his political will to break the backbone of illegal logging, ” said Mr. Paje Source: bworldonline