Paje to cops: Go after DENR exec’s killers

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje yesterday asked police to get the killers of a “top-performing” community environment and natural resources officer (CENRO) in Quirino province.

Paje described Tuesday’s killing of CENRO Alfredo Almueda of Maddela, Quirino as “clearly demonstrating the ruthlessness of those responsible for the rape and destruction of our forests.”

Almueda, 59, excused himself from a New Year celebration early Tuesday following reports that hot lumber being transported would pass by a checkpoint his office had put up in Barangay Villasur, Maddela town.

While waiting for the contraband with his men, Almueda stayed in their service vehicle. Moments later, bullets rained on the car, fatally hitting Almueda in the right eye.

Benjamin Tumaliuan, DENR-Cagayan Valley executive director, described Almueda as a “top performer” for leading the anti-illegal logging drive in Quirino. Almueda was a former acting provincial environment and natural resources in Isabela.

His killing came barely a year after DENR forest specialist Melania Dirain was shot dead in her office in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the killing of yet another environment officer in Region 2. We are angered and outraged by the attack, and our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Almueda,” Paje said.

Paje, however, said the DENR will not be intimidated by the enemies of the environment and those who oppose the government’s drive against illegal loggers.

For her part, Sen. Loren Legarda said Almueda’s killing was a “disheartening act of cowardice, and those responsible must be made to answer for their actions.”

She called on local governments, especially in provinces plagued by rampant illegal logging, to heighten their efforts in ensuring the security of hardworking environment officers.

Legarda, head of the Senate committee on climate change, underscored the link between illegal logging and disasters caused by natural hazards in the country.

“We know that the disasters in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan in 2011 were related to the massive illegal logging operations that exacerbated the effect of typhoon ‘Sendong.’ Thus, protecting our forests and wetlands in order to enhance the capacity of the environment to withstand extreme weather disturbances is a must across the country,” she said. – With Christina Mendez, Charlie Lagasca, Raymund Catindig