The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Palawan will investigate the alleged selling of government lands in El Nido town.
DENR representative and Puerto Princesa City community environment and natural resources officer Felizardo Cayatoc said he will issue a memorandum to conduct a joint investigation in El Nido in coordination with the municipal government and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).
“We will immediately investigate and we will update the provincial government about the result,” Cayatoc said.
Board Member Winston Arzaga on Tuesday said he has received reports that there are already lands in Nacpan Beach and Manlag that had been sold to some investors.
Arzaga said mangroves were destroyed in Manlag for the construction of roads until it resulted in the destruction of the entire area.
He said the problem is rampant in Palawan and the DENR and the PCSD needs to stop it.
“Sa Nacpan, I was very surprised because nabakod na and ang laki ng marka na nakalagay ‘this is a private property of’, I do not want to mention the name. But timberland ‘yon, you can check it. Sa Manlag there’s a beautiful mangrove area, the investor destroyed this and constructed a road. The DENR and PCSD should look into the areas and investigate,” Arzaga pointed out.
He added that this should serve as a warning to the individuals involved in the illegal transaction.
“This will serve as a warning, as fair warning that the government is working to solve this kind of activity — the buy and sell of timberland,” Arzaga said.
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