MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the suspension of several logging concessions in Zamboanga Peninsula due to displaced indigenous populations.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during a Palace briefing on Tuesday that Duterte made the announcement during Monday afternoon’s Cabinet meeting.
“The President also ordered several logging concessions in Zamboanga Peninsula to be suspended. This after he was apprised of concerns of indigenous populations that they have been displaced by logging operations of some companies,” Roque said.
Roque said the President had also observed that widespread logging was responsible for the flashfloods that hit Mindanao during the onslaught of tropical storm ‘Vinta’ last December.
Roque clarified that the President’s order was just suspension and not closure while the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was investigating the allegations that indigenous people had been displaced by the logging operations.
“He has ordered the suspension without prejudice to the probe. But meanwhile, it should be suspended,” he explained. (PNA)
