The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of charges against Baguio City representative Nicasio Aliping, Jr. and three others for the illegal cutting of trees and forest destruction in Sitio Pongayon, Sto. Tomas, Tuba in Benguet. Aliping together with William Go, Bernard Capuyan and Romeo Aquino are facing trial before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Sections 77 and 78 of the Revised Forestry Code.
Investigation spearheaded by the Environmental Ombudsman found that in April 2014, Aliping conducted earth moving activities using heavy equipment that resulted to the uprooting of 293 pine trees, with 415 Benguet pine tree samplings damaged. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimated the total damage at P10.3million. It was also found that “the cause of the turbidity of the water supply [was due] to the massive land development within and around the property of Aliping.” The DENR, as complainant, added that “Mt. Sto. Tomas was declared forest reserve, thus it cannot be converted into private property.”
Representative Aliping admitted that no permits had been issued for the earth moving activities and no documents were presented showing ownership over the property.
Aliping undertook the activities through the construction corporations owned by Go, Capuyan and Aquino.
According to the Ombudsman, “it is clear as daylight that the cutting of trees and other earthmoving activities were done without authority” as “Aliping’s use of the three backhoes/heavy equipment in his earthmoving activity is undisputed.”
Under the Revised Forestry Code, it is illegal for any person to cut, gather, collect, remove timber or other forest products from forest land, without any authority.
It will be recalled that in 2012, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales revitalized the Environmental Ombudsman that handles complaints involving violations of environmental laws committed by public officials and employees. Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera concurrently serves as the Environmental Ombudsman. ###