THE Group of Environmental Socialists (Goes) and Door Step To New Life Foundation Incorporated (Door Step) again denounced the establishment of “illegal” structures at the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP).
The groups, in a statement, said they submitted a letter of request to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and National Bureau of Investigation Environmental Crime Division on Tuesday, May 22.
They are seeking the investigation and prosecution on the illegal structures at the NNNP, whom they call as big-time environmental violators.
“In celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, we express our renewed commitment in representing the residents of Negros in the protection, preservation and conservation of NNNP,” the groups said.
Goes and Door Step said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has prosecuted only a handful of small-time environmental violators for the past five years despite persistent complaints from environment groups.
The agency, they said, left out the big-time violators who constructed and maintained rest houses, cock-breeding farms, swimming pool resorts, view decks, and restaurants, among others.
These are violations to Sections 19 and 20 of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas Systems Act of 2018, they added.
Moreover, the group also expressed intention to file of graft charges against “inept” DENR officials before the Office of the Ombudsman next month.
“It is high time that we all work together to finally stop this environmental hemorrhage that continues to damage our protected areas in Negros,” it added.