21 charged with illegal tree cutting

CEBU CITY—Twenty-one officials of a power company, a site developer, a caretaker and lot owner are facing a criminal complaint filed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas over the alleged illegal cutting of 982 trees.

The charge sheet, signed by Raul Pasoc, community environment and natural resources officer in Cebu City, was filed at the office of the city prosecutor in Toledo City on Monday.

Eddie Llamedo, regional spokesperson of the DENR in Central Visayas, said charged were nine officials of  Sunasia Energy Inc. (SAEI), nine officials of Sta. Clara International Corp., the general manager of First Toledo Solar Energy Corp., a lot owner and his caretaker.

Llamedo said since a corporation is involved, its officers are being held liable.

Named respondents in SAEI are Noel Carino (chair), Ma. Theresa Capellan (president), Cheerelyn Barrameda (treasurer), Ulysses Bautista (secretary) and other officials identified as Diosdado Capellan, Holger Schenk, Godofredo Jalasco Enrique Guanio and Marcus Joel Ramos.

Also charged are officials of the site developer, Sta. Clara International Corp.—Nicandro Linao (president), Irma Linao (vice president-treasurer), lawyer Rio Ventura (corporate secretary), Asisclo Gonzaga (special adviser to the board of directors), Carlos Hadap (executive vice president), Nobukazu Kotake (senior vice president for operations), Ulysses Bautista (vice president for business development), Miguel Carlos Linao and Oscar Batol.

Other respondents include engineer Sammy Baybay, general manager of First Toledo Solar Energy Corp.; Allan Navales, caretaker of the land; and the landowner, Gino Baltao.

Aside from facing a criminal complaint, officials from First Toledo Solar Energy Corp. are being asked to pay a P50,000 fine for violating two conditions in an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) issued to the company.

William Cunado, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Visayas, said aside from cutting trees without a permit, First Toledo also failed to secure a clearance for land development activities.

The regional EMB office held a technical conference on Nov. 12 during which Cunado said the company has committed to pay the fine on or before Nov. 27.

Cunado also said the EMB has required the company to secure the cutting permit prior to proceeding with the cutting of trees.

The regional EMB office had issued to First Toledo an ECC for a 55-megawatt solar power project.

Officials of SAEI failed to present a tree-cutting permit when environment officials inspected the project site on Oct. 26.