11 DENR personnel in Quezon suspended

LUCENA CITY, Philippines  – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended 11 of its personnel in Quezon province amid allegations of corruption and failure to go after illegal loggers.

Among those suspended by DENR-Calabarzon regional executive director Nilo Tamoria was Celedonio Dapla, community environment and natural resources officer (CENRO), who had jurisdiction over the coastal town of Mauban, a known transshipment point of illegally cut logs from the Sierra Madre mountains, Isabela and Cagayan.

Dapla was accused of negligence of duty. He was replaced by Emiliano Leviste, acting CENRO of Los Baños, Laguna.

Also suspended were Jaime Belleza, chief of the Forest Management Sector in Pagbilao town, and Mario Aran, FMS head in Real town, also for alleged dereliction of duty. Both of them were ordered to report to the DENR regional office in Laguna.

Tamoria also suspended for 30 days forest rangers Angel Ragudo, Rosario Tadili, Adison Baldeo, Eduardo Balonzo, Dionisio Bautista, Manny Mercado, Noel Evangelista and Mario Martinez, all based in the DENR’s Mauban office.