SUBIC BAY FREEPORT INSPECTION. Environment Secretary Jose “Lito” Atienza, Jr. (L) ordered the Korean firm, Grand Utopia Inc., to modify the architectural design of the proposed $120 M Ocean 9 Casino Hotel to spare at least 300 mature trees inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Earlier, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) revoked its Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) which gives the latter authority to issue environmental clearances and permits to locators inside the freeport. Also in photo are DENR-Environmental Management Bureau director Julian Amador (C) and DENR Region III executive director Antonio Principe (R).


CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga ---- Environment authorities here filed criminal charges against a school principal in Olongapo City for ordering the cutting of trees inside a school campus without permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Antonio Principe, executive director of DENR in Central Luzon said in his report to Environment Secretary Jose “ Lito” Atienza Jr., a formal criminal complaint was filed by his office to a certain Ellen Aggabao, the principal of Olongapo City National High School (OCHNS) who ordered the cutting of eight mango trees, duhat, acacia, eucalyptus and gmelina inside the campus with a total volume of at least 700 board feet amounting to P17, 490.

“Its a clear violations of our environmental laws, the offense is a crime to our environment and to our people especially to those children whom she should lead an example. We will not tolerate this kind of abuse,” he said.

In an administrative adjudication conducted by the DENR Community Environment and Natural Office (CENRO) in Olongapo City, Principe said the accused personally admitted her failure to secure tree cutting permit from the DENR and also acknowledge that she is not aware that a permit to cut is required.

“Ignorance of the law excuses no one and we must be responsible for our actions,” he explained saying that the law is above all and it applies to everyone regardless of status in life.

He said the school principal violated Section 3 of Presidential Decree (PD) 953 which required the planting of trees in certain places and penalizing unauthorized cutting, destruction, damaging and injuring of certain trees, plants and vegetation and Section 68 of PD 705, the Forestry Code of the Philippines.
The DENR also filed criminal charges against Erick Nathaniel Ellano of JATI Construction and Supply, the hired contractor of OCNHS who conducted the actual cutting of trees, he added.
As this developed, the DENR filed a separate criminal charges against three illegal loggers in Zambales after having been caught in the act by the joint operation of DENR office in Masinloc and the 24th Infantry (Wildcat) Batallion.
Nelson Gorospe, DENR provincial chief in Zambales said criminal charges have already been filed against Glenn Namuka Litauen, Villamor Aten-an, and Armando Mariñas all from Pangasinan for illegal cutting of trees along the newly constructed Zambales-Pangasinan road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said the DENR confiscated the chainsaw used by illegal loggers and a cut Tanguile tree, a premium species which has been cut with a volume of 1,378 board feet amounting to some P22,000.
The perpetrators violated Section 68 of PD 705 and Republic Act 9175 or the Chainsaw Act of 2002, he explained.
Earlier, Principe immediately ordered the DPWH to stop the cutting of trees and road construction within the Sta Cruz, Zambales and Mangatarem, Pangasinan provincial road project and ordered the agency to secure necessary tree cutting permit and environmental compliance certificate from the DENR.
“Even government projects must secure environmental clearances and permits before any construction is implemented to avoid necessary damage to the environment,” he said.
Citing reports, he said the DPWH has applied a road right of way to the DENR for the road project which was diverted to another route to prevent numerous construction of bridges. In Zambales section the road construction passes a natural stand of Mindoro Pine forest with an average of 15 to 20 meters width and about three kilometers long has been constructed, he added.
He said the construction continues in Zambales section with another five kilometers road with a width of about three to four meters has been piloted and start again a 20-meter road up to the boundary of Zambales-Pangasinan which approximately traversing 1.5 kilometers from the dipterocarp forest.
He directed the DENR field personnel in Zambales  to seize all illegal sourced forest products, conveyances, tools and equipment in the area and file necessary criminal charges against the perpetrators.
At press time the DENR is conducting inventory on the damage trees along the provincial road project.