Environment caretaker beheaded

A staff member of Bantay-Kalikasan, an ABS-CBN foundation working for the rehabilitation of watershed areas at the La Mesa Dam, was beheaded Tuesday by a group of unidentified men that make the area their "haven."

Police said Robert "Bobby" Glee, a caretaker assigned to the La Mesa Dam Watershed Project, was killed by five men who were out to protect their illegal activities.

The incident occurred at the uppermost portion of the forested area of the watershed in Rodriguez, Rizal. Around 10 percent of the La Mesa Dam watershed is within the boundaries of Caloocan and Rizal, while 90 percent is in Quezon City.

The foundation conducts reforestation to revitalize the watershed in partnership with the Quezon City government.

Bantay-Kalikasan program director Marlo Mendoza told The Star that the La Mesa Dam watershed has become a haven for squatters and criminal groups – a concern raised several times by the foundation with the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Rizal police said they are now hunting down suspects Frankie Guerrero, his cousins Norlito and Christopher, and neighbors Alfie Espinosa and a certain "Rene Bungo" for the beheading.

The five men allegedly barged into Glee’s house while the victim and his common-law wife were having lunch. The victim immediately ordered his wife to get out of the house, which they were occupying with the permission of the foundation.

As she left the house, one of the suspects shot the husband. Despite the gunshot wound, Glee retaliated and managed to hack one of the suspects in the forehead with a bolo.

The victim was again shot. Bystanders told the police that the suspects were able to convince Glee to hand over his bolo, but after surrendering the weapon, one of the suspects used it to hack his neck until his head was separated from his body.

Bantay Kalikasan officials called Glee a "hero."

"We consider him Bayani ng Kalikasan because he was killed in the course of implementing his work which got the ire of this gang," Mendoza said.

He noted that staff assigned in the area for reforestation activities had previously been ambushed but no one was killed or hurt in the incident. Various groups have also been threatening the foundation’s staff.

"There are always threats from the illegal settlers whenever our people conduct patrols. It’s like a lion’s den there," he said.

Glee, Mendoza pointed out, had a dream of stationing several tanods in the area.

"He believed that is the only effective way to guard the forest and watershed with the participation of civil society," he said.

One of the objectives of the La Mesa Dam project is the reforestation of 1,200 hectares of the watershed. – With Non Alquitran