Killing trees and death threats

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

A common observation among newsmen during a drinking session at Luisas Café, a media watering hole in Baguio, was that when it comes to large government and private projects, trees are usually sacrificed in the altar of development.

In Baguio City for instance, it was observed despite massive protests from concerned city folks, the giant shopping mall SM was able to finally cut the few remaining trees within its compound in the dead of night, courtesy of a court order. Now it would not be farfetched to say that it would soon build the planned multi-million parking facility which it ironically would call a “green building.”

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A few months back, Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. was accused of masterminding the cutting of more than 800 fully grown trees at Mt. Sto. Tomas, one of the city’s prime watersheds for resort project. It is now the object of court cases so we will not comment on this or we could be accused of sub judice.

Nonetheless, media uproar had pilloried him and now, his supporters are wondering how it will affect his chances for reelection come May polls next year. A lot of trees have also been cut to give way to subdivisions in the city, but then, who is watching over these?

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Over in Pangasinan, concerned folks and environmentalists are still opposing the ongoing cutting of of trees along the Manila North Road (MNR). According to Greenpeace, a total of 1059 trees were already “massacred” in 2013.

“In issuing a new permit for tree cutting in the said area, both DENR and DPWH failed to heed the voices of environmental groups and civil society networks about involving them in the assessment of alleged dead trees,” the environmental group said in a statement dated Sept 5. 

A multi-sectoral agreement about this strategy was reportedly signed August 2014, but DENR central and regional Offices did not respect this.   

“We are extremely disappointed with DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson for allowing DENR to proceed with issuing the permit without civil society’s involvement in validating the alleged “dead trees.”  As shown in Cebu and other areas, DENR can’t be trusted in the assessment of alleged “dead or sick trees.” 

“They have used the “dead tree discourse” to rationalize or defend their desire to issue the permit for cutting of remaining standing trees.  To date, the DENR refused to furnish us a copy of their tree assessment despite our repeated requests in writing meetings. Why the lack of transparency in sharing vital public information tokey stakeholders?”

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According to the group, the Pangasinan DPWH District 3 Office is sticking to its plan to cut all remaining surviving trees along the MNR.   “Why has the DENR been so gung ho about granting tree cutting permits all over the country including natural forests and protected areas? We call for a thorough investigation about the fund transfer from DPWH to DENR for  replacement of trees cut.  It was reported that “through a General Appropriations Act and a memorandum of agreement, the DPWH has transferred P6.3 million to DENR for the replacement scheme including project management and supervision.”

“We feel betrayed by both DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson and DENR Sec. Ramon Paje. They did not uphold their own previous pronouncements and related memorandum issued in 2014.

“The present leadership teams of DENR and DPWH need urgent and genuine "ecological conversion." Until now, they have not changed their stance about giving permits for the massacre of healthy trees. Other policy decisions are also severely flawed.  Decisions like this undermine President Aquino’s “daangmatuwid.” Vested interests of traditional politicians should not be allowed to undermine or negate civil society’s active involvement  in environmental governance.”          

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In Ifugao, the Ifugao Peasant Movement (IPM) and the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) said they were overwhelmed with outpouring support of local and international advocates and organizations in the campaign to nurture the environment and uphold human rights in the province.

“This continuing support is boosting the morale of the people, at a time when environment and human rights defenders are under attack. More importantly, this is a defiance of people against State political repression,” the groups said in a statement.

Members of their groups have reportedly been issued death threats by suspected state forces particularly the military. They urged concerned folks and officials to expose the death threats recently received by their and community leaders.

Envelopes bearing a photo of an Ifugao cloth used by Ifugaos to wrap their dead were reportedly sent to their staff and community leaders with the phrase “Gray-May, June-Gloom, No Sky-July”.  IPM and CPA strongly believe that these death threats were handiworks of big energy corporations with huge proposed projects in Ifugao in cahoots with suspected State intelligence agents.

According to their statement, they recently held protest actions by wearing blue clothing, banners and streamers wherein OFWs in Hongkong and Filipino communities in California have responded with their own activities in their fight against environmental degradation and upholding of human rights. Support groups included Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), a regional organization of indigenous peoples in Asia like Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand.

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Support groups included national organizations such as Sulong Katribu Party List, Task Force Indigenous Peoples, Kalipunan ng mga Katutubo sa Pilipinas (Katribu) and Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera

“This outpouring show of support and solidarity is testament that working for the environment and human rights is not a crime. We are grateful to all those who stand with us and our affected communities in these difficult times. With all the continuing support, we vow to continue working with the people to nurture the environment and to uphold human rights. Death threats, political vilification and other forms of human rights violations against defenders of environment and human rights must stop now,” their statement said.