The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental is holding an inquiry in aid of legislation on the repeated burning ofa reforestation project site in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, where the provincial government has invested milions of pesos.

Board Member Emilio Yulo III yesterday said he suggested that the committees on Peace and Order, Environment and Natural Resources, as well as government assetsjointly convene for the inquiry that was approved by the SP during its recent regular session.

Yulo, chairperson of the SP committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said they want to determine if the series of burning incidents on government reforestation projects has something to do with its implementation, or the actual problem in the ground.

The damage on the latest burning of the provincial government reforestation project in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, was placed at about P1 million.

Initial investigations of the Task Force Ilahas showed that the fire, which was intentionally done, damaged 50 hectares, that was planted with endemic trees.

While there are reports that suspects may have been engaged in charcoal-making activities, SPO3 Stanley Mendoza, Task Force Ilahas investigator, said residents within the reforestation project site are “uncooperative” in their investigations.

Mendoza recalled that the burning of the reforestation project started in 2004, and was repeated in 2006, 2008 and this year.

He added that a person who was arrested and charged for arson, inconnection with the burning of the reforestation project in 2008, was provisionally released from jail, after a witness failed to appear during hearing of the criminal complaint.*GPB

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