CITY ENVIRONMENT and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) Pubic Officer III Arturo Killip said the trimming of agoho trees at Malcolm proceeded without permits to comply with deadlines imposed for the opening of People’s Park.
Killip said the permit to trim and prune was at the Forestry Division with but the person in charge to facilitate was out on November 9, pushing them to do the task with the permit pending as a per practice of the office.
Killip admitted they proceeded without a permit bearing the signature of Mayor Mauricio Domogan and the endorsement of Cepmo head Cordelia Lacsamana.
Domogan issued a memo on November 11 to Cepmo personnel led by Lacsamana, Jones Gas-ib, Killip and Walter Aguire to explain the trimming of trees at the Malcolm square.
“I am shocked to see the trunk of the trees that had been cut at Malcolm Square. I cannot recall having signed any tree cutting permit to that effect. You are therefore ordered to explain within two days from the receipt why you should not be subjected to disciplinary action for cutting the said trunk of the trees without any proper approval permit,” the mayor said in the memo.
Killip said the office has been pressed with many scheduled cutting and trimming work as well as the preferred opening of the park on November 22.
Killip said two of the three agoho trees trimmed which front Maharlika Livelihood Center are scheduled to be replaced because they are already prone to falling while another tree which is adjacent to U - Need was trimmed as parts of it has been rotten.
On Friday, Lacasama has submitted her report to the office of the mayor while Killip, Gas-ib and Aguiree are set to submit their report before Tuesday.
The renovation of Malcolm Square project has been bided out to RAJ Construction which cost P10 million with Architect Aris Go of the 90 Design Studio designed the park.
The design of the park is envisioned to go back to the original public square filled with open spaces.
Cepmo said neither the contractor nor the architect were part of the trimming incident. (Maria Elena Catajan)