DENR to dispatch legal team to stop illegal logging in Aurora

MANILA, Philippines - A combined team of legal and law enforcement agents will be dispatched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to Aurora province to check on reports of fresh illegal logging activities in Dingalan town. The order came after Environment Secretary Lito Atienza learned of the illegal logging activities in the said town through “independent sources in the area.” “All steps must be taken to stop illegal logging in Dingalan and other parts of the country. To allow illegal logging to continue is like begging for a catastrophe with epic proportions to happen,” Atienza said. He added that among the information that the team will be investigating is the report that a relative of Dingalan Mayor Zenaida Padiernos is linked to the illegal logging activities in the area. He lamented that local executives are being linked to such unlawful activity, noting that local government units (LGUs) are supposed to serve as the DENR’s first line of defense in implementing environmental laws. “The government faces a bigger problem when local executives are being regarded as causes of environment destruction rather than part of the solution or efforts to conserve the country’s environment and natural resources,” Atienza said. Atienza stressed the need to intensify community action and vigilance of people’s and non-government organizations (NGOs), as the two of the best ways to expose anti-environment activities and bring to justice those that he termed as “environmental criminals.” The illegal logging activities in Dingalan was brought to public attention by Fr. Pete Montallana, head of the TFSM’s chapter in Dingalan, Aurora. - GMANews.TV