Guv orders arrest of project arsonists

Saturday, February 4, 2012

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. ordered for the immediate arrest of those who are responsible for the burning of the Provincial Government’s 50-hectare reforestation project at the upper Minoyan, Murcia.

Lawyer Jose Maria Valencia, provincial legal officer and chief of staff of the governor, said Marañon also ordered for the deployment of security personnel at the area.

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On her report to Marañon, lawyer Aleta Nunez, provincial environment management officer, said the fire started around 6:30 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m. at site 1.

The blaze razed about four to five hectares of reforestation project, and its damaged was pegged at P80,000.

At site 2, the fire started around 8 a.m. and lasted until 4:30 p.m., damaging an estimated 45 hectares and about P1 million worth of reforestation project.

Nunez said the reforestation project, with an investment of about P3.1 million, was implemented by the Provincial Government, with the Energy Development Corporation and Landingan-Andan Farmers association in 2005.

The fire, Nunez added, was put out by the province's project partners, the foot patrol team, other members of the farmers association and community volunteers.