LUCENA CITY -- A multi-sectoral task force based in northern Quezon and Aurora has called on the Senate to investigate the continuing illegal logging in the two provinces.

“We need an independent investigating committee, maybe from the Senate, to stop the continuing rape of the Sierra Madre. The stumps are there and the Agtas [mountain tribesmen] among others can pinpoint where the rape happened,” Father Pete Montallana, OFM, chairman of Task Force Sierra Madre, said in a statement issued for the forthcoming Earth Day celebration, a copy of which was sent to the Philippine Daily Inquirer Wednesday.

Montallana expressed belief that connivance between officials and employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and logging syndicates had been a major factor in the continued destruction of the mountain.

Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona, head of the Prelature of Infanta, also blamed the DENR for the continued destruction of Sierra Madre.

“Daily, Sierra Madre continues to be raped in broad daylight and corrupt DENR officials who are being paid by our hard-earned taxes to take care of the environment -- from our experience -- connive with the rapists,” according to the TFSM chairman.

“This is a multi-million rape that happens in the whole country daily yet we, especially the people in the cities, are unaware of its extent,” Montallana added.

Montallana lambasted DENR officials headed by Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza for its failure to protect Sierra Madre.

The priest recalled that on Dec. 26, 2007, the TFSM met with Atienza who promised to stop illegal logging and relieve the chief of the local environment offices in Real, Quezon and Dingalan, Aurora.

“A big disappointment. It is now April and logging simply continuous. While there is a new CENRO now in Real, the one in Dingalan is still there. He must have a very strong backer that not even Secretary Atienza could remove him,” Montallana said.

Last month, Antonio Diwa, head of the government environment office in Real town which covers northern Quezon, was replaced by Rufo Lorenzo, the former DENR-Quezon chief.

Montallana also claimed that Atienza failed in his promise to follow up the suspended investigation on 15 10-wheeler truckloads of forest products whose papers were not even signed by the requesting person, yet were signed and approved by DENR officials. The investigation was started in December 2007.

“It is now April and nothing has happened,” Montallana lamented.

Eric Avellaneda, vice chairman of mountain tribe association, called “Adhikain ng mga Grupong Taong Katutubo na Nagtatanggol” (Agta, Aspiration of Indigenous Groups that Protect), recently asked for media’s help to stop the renewed illegal logging operations in the mountain ranges.

“The media is our only hope to stop and prevent the further destruction of Sierra Madre. Illegal logging stops every time it is reported in the media,” he said in a text message to this correspondent using a borrowed mobile phone.

Avellaneda said the illegal loggers were cutting more than 60 trees of hardwood species per day in the mountain villages of General Nakar.

The felled logs were being transported out of the Sierra Madre by floating them downstream via Umiray River, and would eventually land on the coastline of General Nakar. The logs are later pulled by boats towards Dinggalan, Aurora and Dinahican village in Infanta, Quezon.

Some of the logs also exit the mountain through the backdoor leading to Tanay, Rizal, Avellaneda said.

Montallana also lambasted the 25-year Integrated Forestry Management Agreement (IFMA), which the national government granted to Timberland Forest Products Inc. (TFPI).

The timber license covers more than 36,000 hectares in Sierra Madre which was issued in 2002 by then environment secretary Heherson Alvarez.

But Alvarez’s successor, Elisea Gozun, revoked the contract on Jan. 13, 2004, saying “fraud, misrepresentation, and omission of material facts” surrounded the process by which the DENR granted the agreement.

However, the contract was reinstated by Malacañang on March 4, 2005.

“It is now four years since we have petitioned to cancel the IFMA and we have been given a runaround by the DENR. By the time Secretary [Eduardo] Ermita cancels the IFMA, there would be no more trees in the said area. A perfect deception which is normal in the country today,” Montallana said.

In his New Year’s message, Atienza admitted that corrupt DENR men were behind the massive deforestation in the country. He vowed to establish a “corruption-free and transparent” DENR.

The Supreme Court created 117 “green courts” across the country to handle environmental crimes. At least 45 of the new courts were designated as “forestry courts.”