Contractor charged for uprooting trees in Osmena road widening project
Anastacio Cabalejo of DENR’s community environment and natural resources office filed the case before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office. (CDN PHOTO/ JOSE SANTINO BUNACHITA)
The contractor and officials tasked to handle the road widening project were charged for illegally cutting more than 100 trees along S. Osmeña road, Cebu City.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources filed before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office a case against WT Construction Inc officials and project-in-charge Engr. Adolfo Quiroga for violating Section 3 of Presidential Decree 953.
The decree penalizes anyone caught cutting, destroying or damaging planted trees along public roads with imprisonment of at least six months and not more than two years and asked to file P500 to P5,000.
Aside from Quiroga, the named respondents of the case include WT President Irene Te, WT vice president Willy Te, WT secretary Julie Te, their treasurer Juanita Te, Mary Grace Te and Mary Joy Te.
The case was filed by Anastacio Cabalejo of DENR’s community environment and natural resources office and was received by Cebu City Prosecutor 2 Noel Cellona, Wednesday morning.
Last Monday, during an executive session, Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak presented to the council video clips from a CCTV camera showing how the trees went missing on the night of March 25.
The CCTV footage also showed a backhoe of WT destroying the center island where the trees used to grow and another road roller flattening the area.
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City Hall holds off video of tree rippers
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