Local News: Forest Arsonists to be Charged

The Provincial Government will file charges against arsonists who burned two reforested areas in Brgy. Minoyan in Murcia Thursday, destroying 50 hectares of endemic trees worth P1.08 million.

Provincial Legal Officer Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., yesterday said the governor has ordered the immediate arrest of those who were responsible for the burning of the reforested areas.

He added that the governor also ordered for the deployment of security personnel the areas.

Valencia said they already have some suspects behind the crime, and will file arson charges against them after a thorough investigation is made.

“We have some names but we will divulge them if we have concrete evidence,” he added.

In her report to the governor yesterday, Provincial Environment Management Officer Aleta Nunez said the first fire began at about 6:30 a.m. on the 25- hectare reforestation site of the Negros Occidental provincial government in Murcia.

The fire was put out at 1 p.m. but it had already destroyed about 5 hectares of newly planted trees, estimated at P80,000, she said.

The second fire began at 8 a.m. on the adjacent 50-hectare reforestation site of the Energy Development Corp. (EDC), she said.

The second fire was put out at 4:30 p.m. but it destroyed about

45 hectares of 3-year-old trees, and an estimated damage of P1 million, he added.

Nunez said the reforested area was jointly implemented by the province with Energy Development Corporation and Landingan-Andan Farmers association in 2005 with an investment of about P3.1 million.

It was the same area that was also intentionally set on fire in 2008 with a survival rate of 40 percent at that time, she said.

She said that trees damaged are already estimated at 15-centimeter diameter, with survival rate estimated at 30 percent. Valencia earlier said the Murcia police and Task Force Ilahas men were augmented by the Army and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) in putting out the blaze.

The Army sent 25 soldiers while the NOPPO sent 60 police trainees to help put out the blaze, he said.

Task Force Ilahas men from Barangay Patag Silay City also augmented the firefighters in Minoyan, he said.

“Our people are exhausted because, after hours of putting out the first fire, another one broke out,” Valencia said.

“We will conduct a very thorough investigation and file arson charges, we already have some suspects,” Valencia said.

“We cannot just allow these people to destroy our forests, we are rehabilitating a vital watershed,” he said.

The Murcia police informed Valencia that they arrested some people for illegal charcoal making last week who could be responsible for the fire, he added.*