MANILA - The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against several local officials and establishments in Baras, Rizal for over the supposed encroachment at the Upper Marikina Watershed.

Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said his agency found out "large-scale cutting of trees and kaingin activities" in some 16 hectares of land in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, especially in the area located on Baras.

The Rizal watershed gives "ecosystem services" to the localities of Antipolo City, Baras, General Nakar, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay. It also regulates water flow, as well as prevents floods and landslides in downstream cities like Marikina, conservationists said.

But some structures at the watershed were seen "where the trees were burned" during the DILG and DENR's site inspection, according to Malaya.

"A portion of the site of burned trees is presently occupied by private entities which have even installed armed guards in the area without any legal authority," the statement read.

DILG recommends to DENR and the PH anti-illegal logging task force the filing of criminal, admin charges vs local gov't officials and private entities in Baras, Rizal after "continued violation" of environmental laws in the Markina Watershed @ABSCBNNews

— Job Manahan (@jobmanahan) July 14, 2021

“Despite repeated warnings from the government, these establishments continue to build infrastructure in the area. This is detrimental to the country’s environmental preservation initiatives, not to mention our COVID-19 response," the official was quoted as saying.

He said he already filed the recommendation to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the anti-illegal logging task force, which he is a part of.

Several private establishments and unnamed local officials would face charges due to allegedly violating the following:

• Upper Marikina Protected Landscape Declaration
• National Integrated and Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act or RA No. 7586
• Revised Forestry Code (PD 705)
• Water Code of the Philippines
• Masungi Strict Nature Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary or DENR Administrative Order No. 1993-33

GSB resort owner Arnel Olitoquit, who received a show-cause order, earlier denied the allegations.

"Ako po ay isang 4Ps member. Kami po ay mahirap na pamilya, at hindi po kami yung ine-expect ng iba na malaking kapitalista na nakapagpagawa ng resort. Munting paliguan lang po yan," Olitoquit told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview on June 9.

(I am a 4Ps member. We are just a poor family and we are not big capitalists. This is just a small resort.)

In early June, DENR Calabarzon Executive Director Nilo Tamoria told ABS-CBN News that as of June 7, of the 80 show-cause orders, 40 are considered "pending for the issuance of cease and desist orders" related to the incursions and environmental law violations in the Upper Marikina Watershed.

Those who received the orders included piggeries, resorts, retreat centers, houses, swimming pool owners, gamefowl farms, among others.

Malaya earlier sought investigation on the matter, following the reports submitted by the Masungi Georeserve Foundation.

The nature reserve protects and maintains some parts of the watershed in Rizal, which is considered a "priority" area to protect in Luzon.

“The country is already embattled with the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘wag na po natin dagdagan ng pagsira sa ating kalikasan. We should protect our remaining watersheds just like those in Rizal,” he said.

FIGHT WILL CONTINUE

Billie Dumaliang, an advocacy officer at the nature reserve, said they would continue waiting for the developments until the charges are filed.

She also hoped that the government's monitoring of illegal activities in the area would continue. The watershed has a total land area of 26,128 hectares.

• Environmentalist: Diminished Marikina Watershed’s condition similar to ‘Stage 4 cancer’

"Sana seryosohin na ng lahat ang pangangalaga sa ating watershed, dahil tayo-tayo rin naman ang magdurusa kung papabayaan lang natin ito. Sana matuto na rin ang iba pang nagbabalak na pasukin o sirain ang watershed," Dumaliang said in a statement sent to ABS-CBN News.

(I hope caring for the watershed would be taken seriously because the burden falls on us when we neglect it. I hope that the people would know what would happen if they encroach or destroy parts of the watershed)

"Ito ang isa sa pinaka-importante at pinakamalapit na protected area sa Maynila kaya tingin ko dapat talaga priority ito. I am hoping this pronouncement and succeeding actions will also help protect our rangers on the ground who are always at risk of retaliation and harassment from violators."

(This is the most important and nearest protected area in Manila which is why we consider this a priority)

She also hoped that the promise of Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu of doubling the presence of law enforcement authorities in the area would push through.

The Upper Marikina Water Basin is in its last stages of “forest death" due to continued illegal activities, the conservationist had said.

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