Juju M. Empuerto
CEBU CITY, April 30 (PIA) -- Close to 50 representatives from the
law enforcement agencies including field officials of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) attended a one-day regional
anti-illegal logging task force meeting and seminar in Cebu City last week,
said Dr. Eddie Llamedo, head of DENR-7 Regional Public Information
Office.
Llamedo said the activity was participated in by officials from
the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Maritime Industry
Authority 7, Philippine National Police 7, Armed Forces of the
Philippines-Central Command, National Bureau of Investigation-7, Naval Forces
Central, Department of Justice and the Philippine Coastal Guard.
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo
stressed that “we should continue to be vigilant in exercising our
function in preventing illegal logging or cutting of trees as this has been an
instruction of DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje to enforce Executive Order 23 or
the moratorium on tree cutting over natural and residual forests.”
Natural and residual forests are forests of indigenous tree
species, not planted by man.
Harvesting is only allowed for planted tree species and anyone
caught transporting logs or lumber coming from the residual and natural forests
will be strongly dealt with pursuant to Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised
Forest Code of the Philippines and EO No. 23, Montejo emphasized.
He also reiterated to all DENR field officers with the
instructions to closely coordinate with the regional and provincial
anti-illegal task force in the conduct of joint enforcement operations.
EO No. 23 was issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III on
February 1, 2011 to ensure the protection of the remaining forest cover of the
country, preserve biodiversity, protect threatened habitats and sanctuaries of
endangered and rare species as well as allow natural regeneration of residual
forests, among others.
Montejo urged the public to report to the nearest community
environment and natural resources office any violation of environmental laws,
rules and regulations for investigation and if warranted file the appropriate
case against certain despoilers of the environment.
Likewise, he urged all concerned municipal and city mayors,
through their respective barangay captains to conduct upland
monitoring to ensure that no illegal logging, kaingin and other forms of
forest destruction take place within their jurisdictions.
To underscore the role of the LGUs in the implementation of EO 23,
Resolution No. 2011-003 designates the Regional Task Forces (RTF) to act on
reports by local executives, through their provincial governors or the regional
directors of DILG.
Montejo reminded local officials to take the active role in
addressing illegal logging campaign as forests are important to us as they
sequester or absorb carbon thereby lessening the impacts of climate
change. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu/with reports from DENR7)