By Alec Go
Enforcing environmental laws remains a challenge to state forest protection personnel due to threats posed by environmental criminals when they are on duty.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu reported during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Aug. 26 public address that offenders do not honor and are not threatened by the government’s enforcement body.
“Itong Environmental Law and Enforcement, ito ‘yung isa sa ating – nahirapan kami noon because hindi sila natatakot sa enforcement ano namin, arm,” Cimatu told Duterte.
Based on the DENR’s report, nine forest rangers and field personnel were killed while performing their duties.
Cimatu said they have already “put up services” within their manpower to train their personnel, pending the creation of the Environmental Protection and Enforcement Bureau (EPEB) that will improve regulation, protection, and personnel skill enhancement.
In late July this year, two Masungi Georeserve forest rangers were wounded after they were reportedly shot in Sitio San Roque in Baras, Rizal.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the case is under investigation. A senate probe was also called on the matter in bid to protect rangers.
“The country only has 1 forest guard for every 4,000 forest hectares, despite the ideal ratio being 1 for every 500 hectares,” Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who filed Resolution No. 806, said.
According to the DENR, a forest ranger assigned at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Munoz, Nueva Ecija was gunned down in his own home in October 2019. The victim was the third environmental defender killed during that year.
The DENR informant from the same municipality was also killed by riding-in-tandem criminals in September of the same year. In the same month, a forest ranger was killed allegedly by illegal loggers in Palawan.
Meanwhile, President Duterte blamed the New People’s Army (NPA) for allegedly offering protection to illegal logging operations.
“Mayroon ‘yan sila sa itaas. Kaya sa baba, kung isa, dalawa lang ang forest rangers, puwera na lang kung may checkpoint, ah talagang mahuli kung military pati pulis. Pero kung ‘yung mga tawag nilang forest guards, hindi natatakot ‘yan,” he told Cimatu.
“Takutin ‘yan, may mag-escort diyan na mga NPA. Akala mo the NPA they are doing something for the country. My God, wala. They are killing people and extorting money from everybody from all sources. Kaya nga hindi natatakot,” he added. -rir
