The city government of Naga resumed cutting the remaining trees in a 3.2-hectare lot that will be transformed into an athletic field.
Naga City environment officer Ma. Obdulla Lescano said they cut 21 trees at 8:30 p.m. last Friday and finished cutting three other trees last Saturday evening.
The resumption of cutting 58 trees in the area came after a Writ of Kalikasan was filed against the project last Friday.
She said only 58 out of 79 trees cut, saving 21 trees.
Clean intentions
“After we received the amended permit last Friday at 4 p.m, we immediately resumed the operations,” Lescano told Cebu Daily News.
“We already knew that there was a filing of petition but we are not worried because of complete documents. We also have pure and clean intentions,” she added.
Moot?
Winley Dela Fuente, president of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of Naga City Central School is disappointed after learning about the cutting of trees.
“This is sad news for me who wants to protect the trees,” he said.
He said he and running priest Fr. Robert Reyes planned to have a dialogue this week with Regional Executive Directro Isabelo Montejo of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) to stop the cutting of the trees.
Montejo resign
“Since all the targeted trees are already cut then I have no plans to go to DENR-7 office. We will make a petition letter which will be sent to the DENR central office asking Montejo to step down or resign as the regional director here,” dela Fuente said.
Dela Fuente said he is disappointed with Montejo who keeps on issuing permits to cut trees.
The PTA president also doesn’t believe that there are 21 saved trees.
“We really don’t know, maybe they will have revisions of plans,” dela Fuente said.
He said the leaves of the trees were burned rather than buried even if they can be buried because they are biodegradable. “I have pictures with me,” dela Fuente said.
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