Daanbantayan’s Mayor Loot may be probed for cutting trees

DAANBANTAYAN Mayor Ma. Luisa Loot may face investigation for the  cutting of palm trees planted in front of the residence of a lawyer in her town.

Lawyer Estrella Martinez wrote the Department of Interior and Local Government  about the tree cutting by municipal personnel which was done without her consent.

“As a lawyer, I never encountered a law which mandates municipal and local officials to cut mercilessly plants and trees within the vicinity of any residence without the consent of the plant owner.  I was so insulted and deeply hurt with what they did to my dear, dear plants. Up to the present, I am still grieving over my plants and the moral and actual damages I have suffered are  not capable of any pecuniary estimation. But somehow, I will have my day in court,” Martinez’s letter sent to DILG read.

Former DILG regional director Pedro Noval, who was recently reassigned to Region 8, asked the Visayas Ombudsman in a Sept. 20 letter to conduct a clarificatory conference on  Martinez’s complaint.

Noval in his letter said the palm trees were planted along the sidewalk before the open canal in front of  Martinez’s residence in Calape, Daanbantayan town in north Cebu.

Nova said that according to barangay captain  Victor Aguipo, the cutting and removal of the trees were part of the beautification program of Daanbantayan town.

After the trees and other vegetation were removed, they were replaced with various types of gumamela.

The move was covered by Municipal Order No. 2011-05.

Martinez attached in her letter photographs of cut gmelina trees and two mahogany trees along the national road.

Aquipo and some barangay officials allegedly cut these trees down last May.

The lot was not used for beautification but as an area to keep fighting cocks./Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus