2014: Baguio solon in ‘hot water’ over cut trees

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Baguio solon in ‘hot water’ over cut trees
Larry P. Fabian
June 9, 2014


Baguio City — Aghast, the team leader of the Baguio Water District (BWD) crew monitoring the watershed area, here, wants answers on why 761 trees had been cut in the protected forest area just after a recent routine inspection.

And on the “hot seat” to provide the answers is Baguio City Rep. Nicasio Aliping, whose brother reportedly ordered three contractors to cut the trees for a road excavation project leading to a vacation area.
Mount Santo Tomas Forest reservation, Manila Bulletin


“In just a span of two weeks, the forest we used to protect where the watershed producing ‘Class A’ springs that provide clean water to the Baguio Water District impounding dams, suddenly disappeared after coming back for routine inspection,” said Myles De los Santos, BWD saturation crew team leader.

An assortment of 761 pine and alnos trees, including 293 mature Benguet pine trees, were uprooted and cut down, lamented the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).

Aliping, whose family reportedly owns a property being developed in the vicinity of Mount Kabuyao, Tuba, Benguet, has been mum since Thursday when the issue cropped up.

He said he will comment in due time after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Office assessment is out and a case against the perpetrators is filed.

Source: www.mb.com.ph/baguio-solon-in-hot-water-over-cut-trees/

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Baguio lawmaker sued for tree cutting
Kimberlie Quitasol / Inquirer Northern Luzon
June 10, 2014

LA TRINIDAD, Philippines—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) filed a complaint against Baguio City Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. and officials of three construction firms for the cutting of trees within the Mt. Santo Tomas forest reservation in Tuba town in Benguet province.

Benguet provincial prosecutor William Bacoling on Monday said the complaint, which stemmed from a road project linked to Aliping in Mt. Santo Tomas, was filed by Octavio Cuanso, acting Benguet provincial environment and natural resources officer, on behalf of the DENR Cordillera regional office on June 6.

Bacoling said the complaint was assigned to assistant provincial prosecutor Raymund Botengan.

Aside from Aliping, the other respondents were William Go, president of Goldrich Construction; Romeo Aquino of RU Aquino Construction Development Corp., and Bernard Capuyan, managing officer of BLC Construction and Aggregates.

Bacoling said Aliping and the construction firms’ officials were accused of violating Presidential Decree No. 705 (Revised Forestry Code), particularly Section 77 on cutting, removing, gathering or collecting timber from a forest reservation, and Section 78 on the unlawful occupation and destruction of forest and grazing lands.

The respondents were given 10 days upon receipt of the subpoena to submit their counteraffidavits. Bacoling said Botengan sent out the subpoena on Monday.

Aliping’s family owns a property on Mt. Cabuyao near the Mt. Santo Tomas watershed area, to where a 2-kilometer road project supposedly leads, according to Inquirer sources.

The watershed straddles Baguio City and Tuba town in Benguet. It is also surrounded by vegetable gardens.

Last week, Aliping provided little details about the road project, saying he needed to be provided a copy of the DENR investigation report. He said, however, that he would comply with the DENR’s requirements and penalties and would help fix the problem.

The DENR earlier stopped the road project after the agency discovered 761 damaged trees along the route.

Earlier, Paquito Moreno, DENR Cordillera director, said the project had not secured an environmental compliance certificate or tree-cutting permits.

On June 2, the project was stopped by Oscar Cabayanan, Cordillera director of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau.

On Monday, the Benguet provincial board approved a resolution condemning the massive tree cutting at Mt. Santo Tomas. The resolution was sponsored by Blas Dalus, the newly appointed indigenous peoples’ representative to the board.

Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan said he informed the DENR about the tree cutting on Mt. Santo Tomas as early as April.

“It was part of our recommendation that the DENR file appropriate charges to stop the destruction of the forest. What took DENR so long to act on the matter?” Fongwan said.

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net/609867/baguio-lawmaker-sued-for-tree-cutting#ixzz34BGU6wVO

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Solon in dirty water rap appeals for tolerance
Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 13, 2014


BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. has asked the public for tolerance, after being criticized by bloggers and people on social networking sites for his alleged role in an illegal road project that may have contaminated a water source in the city.

Aliping on Wednesday said he was waiting to obtain clearer details about the issue from a June 18 technical conference with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

He said he could not release any statement that would confirm or deny his role in the road project inside the Mt. Sto. Tomas watershed at the boundary of Baguio City and Tuba town in Benguet province.

On June 6, DENR foresters filed a complaint against Aliping and three Baguio contractors for illegal tree cutting and for intruding into a protected forest after they found that the road construction was undertaken without an environmental compliance certificate.

Strong rain loosened soil from the road excavation, which was washed down to Amliang Creek and three springs that are water sources of Baguio Water District (BWD), the DENR said.

“I welcome the filing of the case. Let the process take its course. Everyone is presumed innocent and entitled to due process,” he said in a text message.

On Thursday, Mayor Mauricio Domogan urged experts to determine the quickest way of cleaning up the Amliang water source, which BWD taps to supply water to houses in up to 20 villages of Baguio and Tuba.

Domogan said the area under contention was outside the city’s jurisdiction, which prevents the city government from taking action.

Baguio’s reliance on the water source, however, compels the city government to seek remedies for the polluted water source.

Baguio has been experiencing strong rains since Tuesday and these may trigger further erosion into the BWD water sources. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net/610880/solon-in-dirty-water-rap-appeals-for-tolerance#ixzz34TJzsG6q