Negros DENR officials face raps

BACOLOD CITY: Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Negros Occidental are facing administrative failure to act on illegal structures at the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP). against Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENR) Officer Edgardo Rostata, Community Environment and Natural Re- Superintendent (PASU) Concordio Remoroza and several John Does on February 22.

GAN in its complaint claimed that Rostata, Remoroza and several others allegedly violated Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act and RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act. to take action against the proliferation of illegal structures within the NNNP, the group said.

From 2014 to 2016, the former PENR officer and concurrent PASU of NNNP issued 94 illegal structures with cease and desist orders and those structures were reported to the Regional Director/ PAMB chairman who heads the Protected Area Management Board, it pointed out.

It added that Rostata and Remoroza did not act against the illegal structures that jeopardized and put the NNNP, the primary source of water, in danger.

The NNNP is also the main watershed of Negros Occidental. reached for comment as of this writing.