Group behind illegal treks up Mt. Banahaw known

The organizer of one of the Internet-based groups that offer a secret trek to the restricted peak of the mystical Mt. Banahaw (in photo) to religious pilgrims and nature trippers has been identified, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said on Sunday. Delfin Mallari Jr.

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The organizer of one of the Internet-based groups that offer a secret trek to the restricted peak of the mystical Mt. Banahaw to religious pilgrims and nature trippers has been identified, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said on Sunday.

Salud Pangan, DENR park superintendent for Mt. Banahaw and adjacent Mt. San Cristobal, said the suspect was based in Laguna.

“We will immediately take action against him,”said Pangan, but did not name the suspect.

Pangan said the DENR had also identified several Banahaw mountain guides used by the groups to lead the illegal treks to the peak onsecret foot trails.

“We will invite the guides for questioning to persuade them to stop their illicit activities,” Pangan said.

The guides, whom she also declined to identify, are based in Dolores, Quezon, and Liliw, Laguna, both entry points to Banahaw.

The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)  closed the mountain peak in 2004, citing the deterioration of Bahanaw’s environment and vegetation  due to abuse and the garbage left behind by trekkers.

Pangan said she stopped issuing special permits for any kind of mountain activity after she learned two years ago that her signature had been forged by con groups. “We’re only giving permits for legitimate research and only after validation by the PAMB,” she said.

The initial plan was to restrict entry to Banahaw for only five years but the PAMB decided to extend to February 2016 so as not to endanger the flora and fauna endemic to the mountain that have begun to reappear and flourish.

However, some of the places closed to the public are so-called “sacred spots” or traditional prayer sites of Banahaw devotees, minority religious sects in this predominantly Catholic country.

Pangan warned that environmental authorities and volunteer mountain protectors would strictly enforce the order to keep the upper portions of the mountain off limits to the public.

An Inquirer informant from among the mountaineers said a certain “Vince” from Liliw was reportedly charging P2,500 for each person who wanted to join a two-day mountain climb that he organized.

The syndicate to which “Vince” belongs has a Facebook account under the name of a mountaineers’ group that has been inviting climbing enthusiasts to join a two-day “tree-planting activity” scheduled next month, the informant said.

The group reportedly claims that the mountain activity, which includes trekking and camping at several mountain spots closed to the public by the (PAMB), has a permit from Pangan’s office.

Pangan denied she issued permits to climb Banahaw, warning that any treks to the closed sections of the mountain were unlawful.

“Religious pilgrims, mountaineers and nature trippers are only allowed at several mountain spots at the base of Banahaw which we have already made public through media information. Beyond the visibly marked perimeter it is illegal and intruders will be arrested,” Pangan warned.

She said every visitor to the still open areas would have to pay a P20 fee at the registration desk at the foot of Banahaw.

Guarding all gates to the mountain’s apex is a challenge because of numerous secret foot trails.

On Thursday, Reynulfo Juan, DENR Calabarzon director, warned that anyone caught entering and leaving the restricted areas would be questioned in the wake of two successive forest fires that hit Banahaw and San Cristobal that authorities believed were man-made.

The fire damaged an estimated 100 to 140 hectares of grassland on San Cristobal and 50 hectares of mixed bush and trees on the western slope of Banahaw.