DENR, councilors not satisfied with CCTV footages

CEBU City councilors viewed the controversial CCTV footages on the missing trees at the Sergio Osmeña Road and were not satisfied with the few clippings shown to them.

They ended up asking Councilor Dave Tumulak, who has custody over the footage, to show all videos recorded from March 29 to March 31 which are the dates before, during, and after the 88 trees went missing from the center island. An executive session will be held for this purpose on Monday next week.

What Tumulak showed to the City Council yesterday were the recordings he had presented to the media last week. It only showed a 4 p.m. footage in March 25 showing part of the center island still full of trees while the next footage showed a 6 a.m. footage the next day, March 26, showing the same area on the center island with the trees already gone.

Another clip also showed a backhoe of WT destroying the center island while another one later on showed a road roller flattening the area.

Just like in his presentation to the media, Tumulak did not show the actual removal of the trees.
“We preserved the other evidences. If DENR or the City will already file a case, we’ll give the footage (but still with a court order),” Tumulak said. But according to Raul Pasoc, head of DENR’s Forest Management Services. He was not convinced with the clips shown. “It didn’t show the actual removal of the trees,” Pasoc told reporters after the session. He said the DENR’s legal department will still be filing a case, with or without the CCTV footage.

Vice Mayor Edgar Labella suggested a closed-door viewing of the entire footage, together with the actual removal. This will be on Monday next week together with DENR, DPWH and WT. Tumulak also said he’s still not giving a copy to DENR right away for security reasons. The location of the security cameras may be divulged and may be destroyed by lawless elements. “We know that once a copy is given, we therefore lose control over their non-disclosure to the public.

With the advent of the smartphones today, a simple click of a button can already send copies of the video to the Internet. Thus, a request to view can be granted, but a request to get a copy cannot be granted,” he said.

He added that the Command Center will give its full support for the successful prosecution of those involved in the crime.

“However, the videos alone do not give the complete story of the whole incident, but viewing them can already give a lead on how to conduct the investigation,” Tumulak said.

Once the case is filed, he said the video will be made available during the trial or any stage of the proceedings when the court so orders.

Dr. Librando Macaraya, the chairperson for the Parks and Playground Commission reported to the Council the sequence of events leading to the discovery of the missing trees.

They were aware and were able to supervise the pruning of the trees but they were not informed as to when the trees should be earth-balled. He found out that the trees were no longer in the area when he returned to have them transferred to the Plaza Independencia to start preparations for the beautification project for the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016. Plaza Independencia is one of the main venues for the event.

“Bisag patay na na sila, I want to see them,” said Macaraya, dismayed by the events.
He does not know who planted the trees at the center island, but it was the Cebu City government which maintained the care of the trees.

During the session, the councilors discussed the letter sent by WT Construction’s Engr. Adolfo Quiroga, who said the trees fell when part of the street was flooded by a leaking pipe of the Metro Cebu Water District. Residents then took the trees for firewood, said Quiroga.

“An incredible story that all of the 88 trees fell at the same time, at the same night, due to flooding,” said Councilor Gerardo Carillo.

“It was cleanly done, no remnants,” Councilor Margot Osmeña also commented.

Engr. Roy dela Cruz of the Department of Public Works and Highways also reported in the session.
The councilors asked dela Cruz if his office is convinced by the explanation given by WT Construction. Dela Cruz was not authorized to speak in behalf of the agency.

According to dela Cruz, based on their project plan, the removal of the trees would have cost P3000 per tree. They were supposed to remove 65 trees.

He said their office is also conducting an investigation “in a silent manner” as they are not an investigative body mandated with the supervision of infra projects.

The WT Construction was unable to attend the session saying that a case will soon be filed against them by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

But the Council is firm on having WT officials in the next executive session.

It was also uncovered the DPWH did not seek the approval of the Council in rehabilitating S. Osmeña St. Carillo pointed out the law requiring any government or nongovernment entity to first seek the approval of the Council before any project affecting the area will be implemented
The Council urged the executive department to conduct its own investigation and file a case against responsible parties.

Carillo filed a motion to request the City’s executive department and legal office to conduct a “no-nonsense investigation” on the missing trees and file a case in behalf of the city government.

“The city is an indispensable party to the case. Since we are maintaining and presumably the ones who planted those trees, the city government is the proper complainant,” Carillo said.

Councilor James Cuenco was also doubtful of WT’s explanation.

“I don’t buy their reason because there’s still no case being filed,” he said.

The whereabouts of the trees are still unknown. A team from the Cebu City’s Parks and Playgrounds Commission (CCPPC) has tried to locate the trees but to no avail.

According to Arlie Gesta of CCPPC they tried to visit the dumping yard of WT Construction in Tayud, Consolacion last April 3 to look for the trees.

“We were not permitted to visit in the morning. But around 1 p.m. we received word that we can visit. We arrived there at around 2:30 p.m. There was a four-hour gap after the refusal,” Gesta said.

But aside from one branch of a Lomboy tree, which Gesta said was “probably” from S. Osmeña, they only saw soil and chunks of concrete and asphalt in the yard.

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