League of kagawads question legality of eco-protection group

The Kantipla Ecosystems Enhancement and Protection Foundation, a group formed by retired police general Tiburcio Fusilero for his Adopt-a-Mountain Program of the four mountain barangays of Cebu City, was questioned by the Liga ng mga Barangay Kagawad ng Pilipinas.

More than 50 officials from barangays Tabunan, Pung-ol Sibugay, Taptap and Tagba-o attended the dialogue called up by Mayor Tomas Osmeña over the continuing conflict between Fusilero and the farmers occupying the 504-hectare forestland.

LBKP president Dave Tumulak told reporters that KEEP Foundation has "no legal personality" to implement the 25-year Integrated Management Plan prepared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the Cantipla forest.

"It has no legal personality since they are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission," Tumulak said, who is also not yet clear as to the investigation of the alleged harassment complaint filed by more than 20 farmers in the upland barangays.

Tumulak said the barangay officials and the affected residents in the barangays have not received any development plans with regards to an Adopt-A-Mountain program.

"There was no consultation. It should be with the approval of the barangays," Tumulak said.

Fusilero, who is one of the founding members of Keep Foundation, entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with former Environment Secretary Antonio Cerilles on November 15, 2000 for the program.

Under the program, Fusilero was tasked to reforest and rehabilitate the 504 hectares of forestlands in Taptap for the period of 25 years and to help protect it against illegal logging.

KEEP Foundation legal representative Benjamin Bongon asked Labangon barangay captain Felix Abella, who heads the investigation because of his background as retired officer of the Bureau of Lands, to close the investigation and instead help and support them of its primary task in protecting and conserving the forest and watershed areas.

Celso Loriga Jr., the regional executive director of DENR, said they heard all the complaints of the barangay officials and residents and have not yet come up with the decision as to whether or not terminate the 25-year MOA entered into by Fusilero.

Loriga added that "the MOA is legal and the complaint is valid."

"We are still reevaluating everything. I did not come up with a decision. We want to hear Fusilero's side before coming up with a decision because we want to be objective," Loriga said.

Loriga added they will have to meet again on May 15 for another round of dialogue after Fusilero failed to show up yesterday at the Mayor's Conference Office. - Garry B. Lao