DENR chief asks Senate to pursue Masungi probe, says issue is ‘complex’

Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on Wednesday asked the Senate as well as the House of Representatives to pursue the inquiry into Masungi Georeserve, saying it has developed into a "complex issue."

The secretary made the remark during the Senate plenary deliberation on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' proposed budget for 2023 when Senator Raffy Tulfo asked why the agency is not addressing the security concerns in the protected area, such as sightings of armed men in the area and attacks against forest rangers.

Senator Cynthia Villar, who defended the DENR's budget, said the disputes in the area are between the Masungi Georeserve Foundation and the land claimants.

She added that the department is not involved in these conflicts and that the Philippine National Police has vowed to put up an office in the area to stop the conflicts in Masungi.

"Wala po sa power ng DENR na makialam, is that what the DENR is telling you, madam?" Tulfo asked.

"Parang police concern kasi nagbabarilan," Villar replied.

Tulfo then asked why the authorities did not use the law to drive away the armed people. "Bakit po hindi ginamit yung ngipin ng batas para palayasin sila, because in the first place it's illegal for those armed people to be there in the first place?"

In response, Villar said it might take time as this will undergo due process.

She added that the DENR and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) agreed that the latter will take over and establish a PNP headquarters in Masungi, and that it was DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. and PNP Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. who made this commitment.

Tulfo then said that they will check if this is true to ensure that this is not only "lip service."

Villar also said that illegal claimants do not automatically follow what they are told to do so. "You have to be patient with them kahit tama ka, sila pa rin ang masusunod," she said.

At this point, Tulfo asked Villar if the government should just let criminals cause disorder and harass other people.

"Regardless kung sino po ang nagbabarilan doon pero mayroon pong nangyaring barilan, mayroon pong nangyaring krimen, dapat po makialam na ang ating gobyerno. At sino po ang dapat mag-spearhead dito dapat? Ang DENR because that is a protected area," Tulfo said.

Villar eventually asked the Senate to suspend the rules and ask Yulo-Loyzaga to answer Tulfo's question directly.

Asked the same questions, Yulo-Loyzaga told Tulfo that the matter needs police action as the DENR is not authorized to exercise this power.

Yulo-Loyzaga reiterated that Abalos had offered to work with the DENR as far as police power is concerned.

"The Masungi Georeserve issue is a very complex issue. When I came into this office, I started to inquire about the background and history of this, particularly the controversial agreement. This has been ongoing for the last five years in terms of whether this agreement should be respected, who should be part of it, et cetera. Whether or not it's in fact in contravention of the constitution or not," the DENR chief said.

In September, Yulo-Loyzaga raised the need to revise the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DENR and the Masungi Georeserve Foundation in an attempt to settle the conflict among claimants.

"I do support very respectfully, Mr. Senator, that the Senate and the congressional investigation takes place so that all of these details, these complexities may be put forward in full transparency for everyone to understand how complex this issue has become," she added.

"We are not going to be able to resolve the full complexity here. I am very convinced, very respectfully, sir, during this interpellation. However, we are preparing...and we are very willing to cooperate with both the Senate and the House."

In September, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the reported incidents of violence, land grabbing, illegal logging, and quarrying  in Masungi.

A similar resolution has been filed in the lower house,  the DENR chief said.

Tulfo said he will expect DENR's cooperation with the investigations.

Further, the lawmaker asked why the DENR is not using its confidential and intelligence funds to address the security issues in Masungi.

"Meron po kayo P13.9 [million] confidential and intel and extraordinary expense. Dapat po, kung ako po ang tatanungin, with this amount, kaya niyo po sigurong mag-tap ng network of intelligence para alamin kung sino-sino itong mga tao na ito na nanggugulo sa loob ng Masungi Reserve," he said.

"And you can use that money with that P13 million—that's a lot of money—para alamin kung sino sino itong mga grupo na ito and then ipasa niyo ang information na iyan sa PNP, sa Army, sa Navy, sa Marines. Bakit hanggang ngayon hindi n'yo maturo-turo who are these people behind sa panggugugulo diyan sa loob ng Masungi at sino-sino itong mga armed groups na gumagala-gala diyan, na up to now nandoon sila nanggugulo at namamaril, at they fire randomly at nangha-harass po sa mga taong nakapaligid?" Tulfo asked.

Yulo-Loyzaga said they already deferred to the DILG's offer to conduct the investigation in the area.

There are initial findings and they are working together with the DILG to come up with a list of participants in these types of activities in the area, she added.

In the same plenary deliberations, Tulfo asked the DENR chief to investigate and conduct a lifestyle check on her subordinates who have been there since the "Jurassic era."

Tulfo claimed that some of these officials are conniving with illegal miners, saying he has proof to back his allegations.

He said that it was time to reassess the officials in question. — BM, GMA Integrated News