DENR warns public vs forestland-fraud deals

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has warned the public against buying lands in areas covered by the government’s agro-forestry program.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje issued the warning after authorities discovered a massive land-fraud scheme involving an Antipolo City-based group selling lands within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL), which was declared a protected area by virtue of Proclamation No. 296 signed by President Aquino in 2011.

Formerly known as the Marikina Watershed Reservation, the UMRBPL is a 26,126-hectare protected area covering the upper reaches of the Marikina watershed in the province of Rizal, flowing through Antipolo City and the towns of Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay.

Paje warned that “any part of a proclaimed protected area is classified as public forestland and could not be in any manner disposed of, much less sold as a titled property.”

The new land scam became public after a report in GMA 7 featured Vanguard for Resourcefulness and Self-Reliance Livelihood and Housing Foundation, Inc. (VRS Foundation), which was reportedly involved in the selling of lands within the UMRBPL.

In an entrapment operation held on Feb. 20 at the group’s office in Antipolo City, VRS Foundation officer Juanito Sta. Maria was arrested after receiving marked money from a DENR asset, who posed as buyer of a real property being sold by the foundation.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police and the DENR lead by Assistant Secretary for Internal Audit and Anti-Corruption Daniel Nicer carried out the operation.              

Further investigations revealed that VRS Foundation was also engaged in buying Certificates of Stewardship Contracts (CSCs) from upland farmers taking part in DENR’s  Integrated Social Forestry Program and would use the CSCs as bases to resell plots of lands in the guise of “transfer of rights.”