Lopez sacks 2 DENR chiefs in Central Luzon

By Manny Galvez

CABANATUAN CITY – Environment Secretary Gina Lopez has fired two environment provincial chiefs and put four lower officials on floating status.

Joselito Blanco and Raul Urmamac, provincial environment and natural resources officers of Aurora and Bataan, respectively, have been relieved from their posts.

Blanco was replaced by Nicomedes Claudio, community environment and natural resources officer based in Casiguran, Aurora.

Urmamac was replaced by Raymond Rivera, a community environment and natural resources officer based in Masinloc, Zambales.

Placed on floating status were community environment and natural resources officers Jimmy Aberin of Dingalan; Gerundio Fernandez of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; Meliton Vicente of Baliuag, Bulacan, and Laurino Macadangdang of Tarlac.

Central Luzon director Francisco Milla of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) confirmed the relief of Blanco and Urmamac.

Milla said he is not aware of the reasons behind the relief of the two officials, noting it was the decision of a group formed by Lopez.

A DENR official claimed the relief was due to feng shui.

Lopez is said to be a believer in Chinese geomancy.