Hinatulan kamakailan ng korte ng guilty sa iligal na pag-o-okupa ng isang forestland area ang ilang indibidwal sa Barangay Port Barton, San Vicente, matapos silang umamin sa kasong isinampa laban sa kanila sa ilalim ng Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.
Ayon sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mimaropa kahapon, June 13, nagmula ang kaso sa imbestigasyong isinagawa ng Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Roxas noong 2023 matapos makatanggap ng ulat hinggil sa hindi awtorisadong vegetation clearing at pagtatayo ng mga istruktura sa loob ng forestland area.
Hindi na nagbigay ang DENR Mimaropa ng detalye hinggil sa ilang indibidwal ang hinatulan ng guilty ng korte.
Ayon sa DENR Mimaropa, kaagad nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon ang mga tauhan ng CENRO Roxas at inatasan ang mga okupante na itigil ang kanilang mga aktibidad at lisanin ang lugar.
Bagamat una silang sumunod, natuklasan sa monitoring activities noong 2025 na muling nagkaroon ng konstruksiyon sa parehong lugar.
“Further investigation confirmed the continued occupation and development of the area without any approved permit, tenure instrument, or authority from the government,” saad ng DENR Mimaropa.
Sinabi ng ahensya na sa kabila ng paulit-ulit na abiso at mga kautusan, nagpatuloy pa rin ang hindi awtorisadong pag-okupa at pagpapaunlad ng lugar.
Sa hiwalay na enforcement operations, nakumpiska rin ang mga forest products na walang kaukulang dokumento. Nabigo umano ang mga okupante na magpakita ng permit o legal na papeles para sa pagmamay-ari at paggamit ng mga ito, dahilan upang madagdagan ang mga kasong isinampa laban sa kanila.
Dinala ang mga reklamo sa Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Palawan. Nitong June 2 lamang, nahatulan ang mga akusado matapos umamin sa mga kasong may kaugnayan sa iligal na pag-okupa ng forestland at pag-iingat ng undocumented forest products.
Ang matagumpay na pag-usig sa kaso, pahayag ng ahensya, ay nagpapakita ng patuloy na pagpapatupad ng pamahalaan ng mga batas pangkalikasan.
“The successful prosecution underscores the DENR’s continuing commitment to protecting public forestlands and ensuring compliance with environmental laws,” pahayag pa ng ahensya.
Iginiit ng DENR na ang mga forestland ay bahagi ng public domain at hindi maaaring okupahan, paunlarin, o gamitin nang walang kaukulang permit o awtorisasyon mula sa gobyerno.
Hinimok ng ahensya ang publiko na iulat ang mga kaso ng iligal na pag-okupa ng forestlands, hindi awtorisadong konstruksyon, ilegal na pagputol ng puno, at iba pang paglabag sa mga batas panggubat upang makatulong sa pangangalaga ng mga likas na yaman.
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Port Barton forestland encroachers convicted after defying DENR orders
Several individuals were recently convicted for illegally occupying a forestland area in Barangay Port Barton, San Vicente, after pleading guilty to charges filed against them under the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.
In a statement released on June 13, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-MIMAROPA said the case stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Roxas in 2023.
DENR Mimaropa did not disclose how many individuals were convicted by the court, nor did it provide their identities.
The investigation began after authorities received reports of unauthorized vegetation clearing and the construction of structures within a forestland area.
According to DENR-MIMAROPA, CENRO Roxas personnel immediately conducted an investigation and ordered the occupants to stop their activities and vacate the area.
Although the occupants initially complied, monitoring activities in 2025 found that construction had resumed in the same area.
“Further investigation confirmed the continued occupation and development of the area without any approved permit, tenure instrument, or authority from the government,” DENR-MIMAROPA said.
The agency said the unauthorized occupation and development continued despite repeated notices and warnings.
Separate enforcement operations also uncovered forest products without the required documents. The occupants reportedly failed to present permits or legal papers authorizing their possession and use of the forest products, leading to additional charges.
The complaints were filed before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Palawan. On June 2, the accused were convicted after pleading guilty to charges involving the unauthorized occupation of forestland and possession of undocumented forest products.
DENR-MIMAROPA said the successful prosecution highlights the government’s continued enforcement of environmental laws.
“The successful prosecution underscores the DENR’s continuing commitment to protecting public forestlands and ensuring compliance with environmental laws,” the agency said.
The DENR stressed that forestlands are part of the public domain and cannot be occupied, developed, or used without the necessary permits or authority from the government.
The agency also encouraged the public to report illegal occupation of forestlands, unauthorized construction activities, illegal tree cutting, and other forestry violations to help protect the country’s natural resources.
