By Aries A. Abuque
THE PALAWAN NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI) is disappointed that illegal logging is still widespread in Southern Palawan.
Lawyer Robert Chan, executive director of the PNNI, said the problem remains unsolved contrary to reports of municipal governments there.
Illegal logging in some municipalities in the southern part of the province, he claimed, is particularly affecting Mt. Mantalingahan, a critical mountain range that straddles five towns, and is being proposed as a “protected area.”
Chan disclosed that their recent visit to Mt. Mantalingahan resulted in the arrest of three individuals who were in caught in the act of felling down trees in three different locations, using unlicensed chainsaws.
The suspects were identified as Noel Jontillano, Victor Jontillano and Eugenio Oteda – all residents of barangay Maasin, Brooke’s Point.
The three had felled around 50 trees, Chan stated. Some of them were Apitong and Malabayabas.
Aside from Brooke’s Point, the PNNI executive director said other municipalities in Southern Palawan also have rampant illegal logging problems. Chan named Rizal municipality as among towns whose leaders are incapable of putting a stop to illegal logging.
But Mayor Clara Degillo of the municipality refuted Chan’s report. “It is not true that illegal logging is unstoppable here. In fact, we have scaled it back because of the various envrionment programs we are implementing,” she said.
