Sorsogon City Council moves to dig into the illegal cutting of premium trees in Bacon district

The Sorsogon City Council has decided to conduct its own inquiry on the massive illegal cutting of premium trees, including century-old Narra inside the Ecopark, in the villages of Cabarbuhan and San Vicente, Bacon district happened later of January this year.

In today's Regular session, Councilor Hilario Dioneda of Bacon district strongly moved to require the presence of Ronando Gerona, the City Department Head of LGU Environment and Natural Resources Office and City Police Chief Colonel Benito Dipad in the next regular session of the City Council.

"I want to know the truth. I and my fellow Cabarbuhanons will not tolerate such abuse in our forest. This is just too much to ignore especially this Council. It's an insult." Dioneda said.

Dioneda is the Cabarbuhan village chief when the lot was acquired by the City Government and turn it into an Eco park because of its thick forest cover.

From then on, it has become the venue of environmental research of groups of student visiting from various Universities in the country.

Councilor Atty Joven Laura of East district added to also invite the head or personnel of Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office National and Provincial as their official findings and insights are crucial.

"I am personally dismayed from the failure of local authorities allowing the persons responsible to go scot-free considering how massive illegal logging these would have been, while small time civilians such as those charcoal dealers are being caught outright. I want to know the reason why the police seems to find it easier arresting the small fry only." Laura said.

Vice Mayor Eric Dioneda couldn't agree more saying that it's time for the legislative body to act accordingly recognizing the ongoing investigation being conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as an agency having a legal mandate on illegal logging.

The presiding officer thereafter referred the motion to the Committee of the Whole urging all its members to take part in the inquiry in its next regular session which would be on March 3 this year, as next Tuesday following this week falls on holiday.

Last week, PENRO OIC Herleo Pavericio said that there were no special cutting permit issued on the felled Narra trees nor any pending application for permits before the perpetrators illegally cut down nearly seventy (70) hardwood premium trees in two (2) villages in Bacon district last month.

The PENRO did not release yet any official report, not even an initial findings, of the investigation saying they are still in the process of gathering more information about the incident.#