The party list representative calls for a formal investigation over the continued unabated illegal activities in the ARMM.  

Hataman obtained pictures of two pay loaders and one buldozer owned by the local government of Basilan with one of the vehicles used in the illegal logging activities painted with the name of Governor Wahab Akbar.

The contrabands, were allegedly owned by Julhanan Ismael, a first cousin of Governor Wahab Akbar, came from the mountains of Sumisip town, the former haven of the notorious kidnap-for-ransom Abu Sayyaf Group,. Government soldiers seized the contrabands while being transported from Sumisip to Maluso.

“This is outrageous because government vehicles are being used in illegal logging activities. Gov. Akbar should be investigated under the doctrine of command responsibility.  He should explain why government vehicles were used in illegal logging activities,” Hataman said. He appealed on Malacanang and DILG Secretary Angelo Reyes to investigate the participation of Governor Akbar in the illegal logging operations in Basilan.

Ismael obtained permit to cut logs from the Office of the ARMM’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources despite the prohibition.

Hataman said that under Article 10, Section 5 of Republic Act 9054 or the law creating expanded ARMM, covering the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which was passed in 2001, mandates the Regional Government implement a total log ban by canceling, nullifying and voiding all forest concessions, timber licenses, contracts or agreements of any kind.

Hataman quotes the pertinent part of the law which states that “the proclamations issued by the central government or national government declaring all natural forest and all watersheds within the autonomous region as forest reserves are hereby restored.  These reserves shall not be subjected to logging operations of any nature and kind.  Forest concessions, timber, contracts or agreements of kind or nature whatsoever granted by the central government or national government or the regional government are hereby cancelled, nullified and voided and shall not be renewed,”.

The provision further added that 10% of revenues collected from ARMM and other forms of development funds should be allocated to reforestation and environmental protections.

With this, Hataman blamed Regional Governor Hussin and ARMM DENR officials of the wanton disregard of the law over the continued illegal logging activities in the ARMM.

“This is a clear disregard of the law. Regional Governor Hussin should lead by example by implementing the full force of the law without fear and favor.  We should not wait for a similar tragedy to happen in Mindanao like what happened in Luzon and other parts of the country,”  Hataman said.

Hataman believes that other parts of ARMM are suffering from the same kind of environmental abuse.

The solon also brought to public’s attention the complaint of Santos Unsad, an official of the Timuay Justice Lambangian based in Maguindanao province, over the rampant cutting of trees in Maguindanao by the Maguindanao Coastal Logging Corp owned Randy Karon, a former commander of Moro National Liberation Front and ex-DENR secretary of ARMM in 1998.

Unsad said Karon used the Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) granted to him by DENR ARMM as his guise in illegally cutting down trees in the forest reserves in Maguindanao.

“They are not doing anything to protect or rehabilitate the forest because they cut down trees instead of planting new ones,” he said.    
 
The congressman made the revelation after the House committee on natural resources chaired by Lakas Rep. Leovigildo Banaag of Agusan del Norte approved in record time the total log ban bill that will be in effect, once enacted, prohibit logging in the next 25 years.

The total log ban bill had been languishing in the back burner of the House for the last 13 years. It took four successive typhoons and untold deaths and destruction for the lawmakers to resurrect it.

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