Legal action vs those who killed mangroves

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) is urging the Cebu City Legal Office (CLO) to take action against those responsible for the death of five mangrove trees in Barangay Cogon Pardo during a flood control project.

This outcome resulted from a joint inspection conducted in the area by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways District Engineering Office (DPWH-DEO), the project's contractor WTG Construction, and representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

As indicated in the report submitted to the City Council, the inspection focused on the mangrove area affected by the DPWH’s flood mitigation project, which spans from Gabuya Street to the South Road Properties near Little Hawaii.

CCENRO acknowledged that during the inspection, the DPWH presented the new proposed drainage alignment, indicating their efforts to avoid and reduce damage to the patches of mangroves in the area.

CCENRO reported that the mangroves in the area suffered physical damage due to sediment dumping on June 3, 2025.

The affected mangroves included four species of Rhizophora and one species of Sonneratia, the latter of which was declared dead during the previous follow-up inspection on July 2, 2025.

They noted that according to the latest report from the previous follow-up inspection, the four Rhizophora mangroves were still showing growth, as evidenced by their bright green coloration, despite the complete absence of leaves and significant bark browning.

As of August 12, 2025, the CCENRO reported that all four Rhizophora mangroves have completely died, with no signs of potential recovery.

They believe that the unsuccessful recovery of the mangroves may stem from impaired nutrient transport due to damage to the stems and roots, or it may be linked to infections resulting from that damage.

They emphasized that the root system of the Rhizophora mangroves was covered by sediments that WTG Construction dumped during the implementation of the flood mitigation project.

The CCENRO stated that the DPWH is working to avoid the mangroves as the project progresses.

During the assessment of the new route, results indicated that some mangroves still lie along the proposed path, posing a risk of damage once the drainage or waterway is installed.

Furthermore, it was noted that the sides of Gabuya Street are lined with houses and patches of mangroves. “If the street is used as an embankment to support equipment during the construction of the drainage system, these houses and mangroves may be affected,” they said.

In light of these observations, the CCENRO recommends that the findings of their inspection report be endorsed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - CENRO Cebu, DENR - Environmental Management Bureau VII, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources VII (BFAR VII), and the City Legal Office. This endorsement seeks to initiate appropriate legal actions regarding the death of the mangroves.

This is to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that the ecological loss is duly addressed under environmental laws, they said.

They cited specific violations of environmental regulations, including the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines and Presidential Decree No. 705, Section 68. This section states that it is illegal to cut, gather, or remove timber or forest products without proper authorization.

“The destruction of the mangroves, a forest product, caused by the dumping of sediments by WTG Construction, may be treated as an unauthorized removal or damage to forest products,” they noted.

Another cited violation is Republic Act 9147, Section 27 of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which prohibits harming wildlife and injuring the reproductive systems of species.

This indicates that the physical damage leading to the death of the mangroves, a wildlife species, constitutes a complete violation of the regulation, they said. — /RAE (FREEMAN)