DENR to end illegal logging, mining in eight days – Lopez

By Antonio L. Colina IV and Ellalyn B. De Vera | August 4, 2016

Davao City – Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Gina Lopez said she will end illegal logging and mining operations in the country in eight days, with her “Duterte team” backing her up in the protection of the environment.

In a press conference on Thursday at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), Lopez said she wants to copy President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s hardline stance against drugs and criminality in her fight for environmental protection.

She said that she is set to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Monday next week with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, and Interior and Local Government  secretary Mike Sueño to assist the DENR in the implementation of stricter monitoring and protection of the country’s natural resources.

“The MOA, in essence, commits that the police and the military will assist the DENR in protecting the resources of the country, including the DILG. We will not allow any illegal activities that adversely affect the lives of the people,” she said.

The DENR secretary said she will only consider nothing but the “rule of law and the common good” as she threatened to punish the logging and mining companies who cause suffering for many people.

She said she tasked the former chief of police at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Peter Mutoc whom she described as her “General Bato,” the moniker of PNP chief Dela Rosa, as enforcing officer of the DENR-Law Enforcement and Operations to monitor and enforce the cease and desist order to erring companies and local government officials.

Mutoc said that they will treat illegal loggers and miners just like “drug lords” but within the bounds of law.

Lopez said they are also reviewing the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and auditing both the metallic and non-metallic mining companies that will be completed next week.

Leo Jasareno, head of the DENR’s Mining Audit Team, said that they can stop the operations if they find out that companies fail to comply with the regulatory standards.

He said the DENR’s mining audit is a comprehensive assessment and will be the basis for the “final judgment” whether to close the mining companies.

“The audit is not just technical. The audit is also social kung may komunidad na nagdurusa, kung may nagkakasakit hindi pwede’ yan. We are testing the water, the agriculture, the fishing kung palpak sila dyan, they are not following the law,” she said.

She said that she wants social justice for the Filipino people, most especially those from Mindanao.

“My definition of social justice in the context of environment is that the resources of Mindanao must necessarily be enjoyed by the people of Mindanao,” she said.

She added that she is tapping civil society organizations (CSOs) to help in the efforts of the DENR.

“I don’t want DENR to be just a regulatory agency. I want to work with the people of Mindanao such that their recourses can lead to their quality of life,” she said.

She called on the people of Mindanao to make the region a model of social justice and upliftment during the Mindanao Environment Summit also held at the Ateneo de Davao University.

Lopez pointed out that Mindanao’s resources are for its people and not for business and foreign interests.

Some 4,000 representatives from civil society, including indigenous peoples, farmers, fisher folk and the academe attended the summit highlighted by the presentation of the state of the Mindanao environment (SOMEDay).

Lopez decried the environmental damage brought about by several business interests, particularly the mining sector, as shown in SOMEDay, calling the destruction, a “social injustice.”

She pointed out that it “hurt her” to see and hear communities in damaged areas losing their livelihood and their resources due to the seeming indifference of mining and other businesses taking advantage of Mindanao’s wealth.

“We should all work together to make sure that Mindanao’s resources are enjoyed by the people of Mindanao,” she said.

Source: www.mb.com.ph