DENR wants update on missing trees case
Which comes first – permission to “earth ball” remaining trees on S. Osmeña Road or the answer to who secretly uprooted 79 fire trees there last March?
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 for an update of their investigation into the missing trees in Cebu City.
“As a member of the Regional Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force may we respectfully request your office to provide us a status report (on the case),” DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said in a letter to the NBI regional office.
The NBI’s help was sought last April before the DENR filed charges of illegal destruction of trees against road project contractor WT Construction Inc. for the disappearance of 79 trees along the center island.
The criminal case is pending with the Cebu CIty Prosecutor’s Office.
A conference is set for Thursday to discuss the request of the Dept. of Public works and Highways to for DENR to life its cease-and-desist order on the earth-balling of remaining trees along the road.
“We will discuss with Cebu City Hall our stand to replace the 79 with 7,900 trees. We will assist them in finding a suitable area where they could plant them within Cebu City,” said DENR 7 spokesman Eddie Llamedo.
He said they will also ask the city government to monitor and re-plant trees that will be cut down.
DENR has repeatedly asked City Hall for the closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage of the removal of the trees.
If City Hall refuses to give it, Llamedo said they would inform the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office so a subpoena can be issued.
“We filed the request last July 9 and it’s been 12 days,” Llamedo said.
The answer will come from Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Command Control Center, which opeartes the CCTV units.
Related Stories:
WT seeks ‘chance to explain’; Search on for missing trees
Environment agency turns to NBI to boost on missing trees
Removal of trees part of Osmeña Road repair plan
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