Thirty-one officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR) were relieved from their posts for their failure to stop illegal logging in their areas.
“It’s been a year and four months since President Aquino ordered a logging ban, yet we continue to receive reports of log confiscations,” DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said yesterday.
Also ordered relieved were Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO)–Agusan del Norte Rosendo Asunto, PENRO-Agusan del Sur Belo Udarbe, PENRO-Surigao del Sur Domingo Cabrera, Jr., PENRO-Davao del Norte Marcia Isip, PENRO-Davao Oriental Gregorio Lagura, and PENRO-Compostela Valley Julius Valdez.
Also sacked were Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO)-Butuan City/Nasipit Vicente Sembrano, CENRO-Tubay Cabadbaran Elvin Indig, CENRO-Bayugan Ruel Efren, CENRO-Bunawan Jerome Tadem, CENRO-Loreto Alberto Bacanaya, CENRO-San Francisco Marlon Gelingo, CENRO-Talacogon Eufracio Subayno; CENRO- Cantilan Mario Tioaquen, CENRO-Bislig Ferdinand Alba, CENRO-Lianga Jose Mario Reyes, and CENRO-Tandag Rogelio Montenegro.
The CENROs from Region 11 who were also removed from their posts were CENRO-Davao City (West) Napoleon Paje, Davao City (East) Melchor Ozaraga, CENRO-Baganga Robinson Camacho, CENRO-Lupon Basilio Caralos, CENRO-Mati Restituta Dime, CENRO-Manay Dioscor Gavarra, CENRO-Maco Marvin Parilla, CENRO-Monkayo Victor Billones, and CENRO-Nabunturan Antonio Inguillo.
President Aquino, in February 2011, issued Executive Order No. 23 declaring a moratorium on the cutting or harvesting of timber in natural and secondary forests nationwide.
Under the order, an anti-illegal logging task force was created to implement the logging ban, comprising the departments of the Interior and Local Government and National Defense, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, chief of the Philippine National Police, with the DENR secretary as chairman.
Paje said the relief of the 31 officials is part of continuing efforts in the pursuit of good governance in the DENR.
As of May 2012, a total of 32 employees have been dismissed and suspended, 34 were charged with various offenses, while 176 are under investigation.
Source: Phil Star, PHOTOS - mnnetherlands.com
