Still no gov’t protection for Marikina watershed guards

MANILA, Philippines — No additional security personnel have been deployed by national government agencies in Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, a week after the shooting of two forest rangers, Masungi Georeserve Foundation said.

“Our team is still alone there,” said Billie Dumaliang, trustee and advocacy officer of the foundation, which manages a georeserve park in Baras town in Rizal province, and leads reforestation efforts in the watershed in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“If we do not receive any security support soon, we stand to lose all the gains in the area and more people could get hurt, especially since we believe the suspects are still around the area,” Dumaliang told the Inquirer on Sunday.

Shot in the head, neck

She said the response of the DENR and the Philippine National Police so far was the investigation of the shooting of Masungi’s forest rangers, who were attacked while in their ranger station in Sitio San Roque on the evening of July 24. One of them was shot in the head; the other, in the neck.

Both underwent an operation to remove the bullets from their bodies on July 26, and were still recovering at the hospital at press time.

The Inquirer reached out to Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the PNP chief, and Nilo Tamoria, director of the DENR Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), on Sunday, but both have not responded as of this writing.

“We are already coordinating with the police on this, but we need urgent security support,” Dumaliang said.

Immediately following the attack, Masungi Georeserve Foundation appealed to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año for help in ensuring the security of their forest rangers patrolling their reforestation sites in Rizal.

PNP probes attack

The foundation said the shooting took place near the stations of the PNP Special Action Force and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion.

“Unless immediate, sustained and truly effective measures are taken, more grim calamities are expected,” the foundation said in its July 25 letter.

Eleazar last week said he had already ordered a probe in the attack, while Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya had said that they would deploy additional security within the watershed.

Several land conflicts mar Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, which was only declared a protected area in 2011. By then, private settlements and establishments had already set up within the landscape.

Masungi Georeserve Foundation had previously butted heads with quarrying companies and private firms that claimed ownership over parts of the watershed, sounding the alarm on environmental violations, such as illegal logging.