Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Vice guv wants environment police desk reactivated By Edmund B. Sestoso
NEGROS Oriental Vice-Governor Jose "Petit" Baldado pushes for the reactivation of the environmental police desk to intensify the implementation of environment and wildlife laws.
Baldado urges the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to forge a partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to train some 50 additional police environmental desk officers (Pedos) in the province on environmental laws.
The vice governor, who also chairs the Negros Oriental Wildlife Conservation Council, called on Provincial Police Director Augusto Marquez to revive the Pedos in every municipality under his command to protect wildlife resources in the province.
Baldado explained that the police should not only cater to ordinary crimes but also run after enemies of the environment to strengthen the enforcement Republic Act 9141 or the Conservation and Protection of Wildlife Resources.
For his part, Senior Superintendent Marquez said the designation of Pedos will become compulsory in all police stations in the province as they will soon undergo extensive training and orientation on environmental laws.
Marquez also lauded the efforts of Baldado, saying it will help strengthen the implementation environment laws by the local police by providing direct assistance on the protection of the province's natural resources.
Marlito Guidote, a representative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), said some of the PNP's concerns in the implementation of environmental laws are: 1) lack of skills in detecting or identifying most endangered flora and fauna species; 2) do not know where to report environment crimes; and 3) how to dispose of illegally traded species.
Guidote, however, cited Negros Oriental as still a safe place for the endangered species. He said the province is not identified as among the hotspots in trading and transshipment of endangered species endemic to the province.
Guidote stressed that under the law, any person who smuggles a highly endangered species for commercial purpose faces imprisonment and fines.
