Baguio solon to face raps for illegal logging
Representative Nicasio Aliping Jr. PHOTO from https://www.congress.gov.ph
Baguio City Representative Nicasio Aliping Jr. is set to face charges before the Sandiganbayan for the illegal cutting of trees and forest destruction in Benguet.
This was after the Ombudsman indicted Aliping and three others for violation of Sections 77 and 78 of the Revised Forestry Code.
Aliping with William Go, Bernard Capuyan and Romeo Aquino were accused of authorizing the illegal cutting of trees in Sitio Pongayon, Sto. Tomas, Tuba in Benguet.
READ: Baguio lawmaker sued for tree cutting
According to the investigation by the Environmental Ombudsman, Aliping in April 2014 allowed the conduct of earth-moving activities using heavy equipment that resulted in the uprooting of 293 pine trees and causing damages to 415 Benguet pine tree samplings.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) set the total damages at P10.3 million.
“(T)he cause of the turbidity of the water supply (was due) to the massive land development within and around the property of Aliping,” the Ombudsman said.
The DENR, as complainant, said “Mt. Sto. Tomas was declared forest reserve, thus it cannot be converted into private property.”
In his defense, Aliping admitted that no permits were issued for the earth-moving activities and that no documents were presented showing ownership over the property.
READ: Solon behind polluting road project
The Ombudsman said Aliping allowed the illegal logging through the construction corporations owned by Go, Capuyan and Aquino.
“It is clear as daylight that the cutting of trees and other earth-moving activities were done without authority” and that “Aliping’s use of the three backhoes/heavy equipment in his earthmoving activity is undisputed,” the Ombudsman said.
The Revised Forestry Code prohibits any person to cut, gather, collect, remove timber or other forest products from forest land without any authority.
The office indicted Aliping for illegal logging after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales revitalized the Environmental Ombudsman that handles complaints involving violations of environmental laws.
Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera concurrently serves as the Environmental Ombudsman. RAM
