Retired judge, 48 others served with CDOs

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A retired judge from this city was among the 49 people served with Cease and Desist Orders for encroaching the protected zone of the Northern Negros Natural Park in Salvador Benedicto town, in Negros Occidental.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Andres Untal stressed that all 49 CDOs were issued through Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Bacolod City and PENRO this week.

While Untal refused to divulge the identity of the judge, he said that the judge has a mini-resort situated in the protected area of the NNNP.

Aside from the retired judge, Untal said that among those served with the orders were prominent businessmen, though, he didn't reveal their names.

Further, he revealed that the Task Force Ilahas, the environmental arm of the provincial government, has the same list of illegal occupants with PENRO and Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO), though, TFI are still verifying the reports they gathered.

When asked if there are more CDOs to be issued, aside from the total 89 orders, Untal said that "for now, there are no orders unless we discover that there are still illegal occupants. But we don't rule the possibility that there still structures on the protected zone."

Untal, however, said that after Salvador Benedicto, they will survey the cities of Silay and Talisay, Murcia town and the northern Negros areas for encroachment.

Meanwhile, he said that the mayor-members of the Ad Hoc Committee is set to meet and make a recommendation on the status of the illegal occupants in NNNP.

"The Technical Working Group will then meet with the mayors and discuss our recommendations, either we harmonized it or will submit two recommendations with the Protected Area Management Board.

The PAMB is set to convene next month and will have the final decision on the status of illegal occupants”, Untal added. —/JMD (FREEMAN)