By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

An administrative case was recently filed before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against two Negros Occidental Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials who allegedly failed to act on the proliferation of illegal structures at the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP).

Green Alert Network (GAN) filed the case against Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgardo Rostata, Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) and Protected Area Superintendent Concordio Remoroza, along with several “John Does” last week.

The group claimed the said officials were in violation of RA 7586, the National Integrated Protected Areas System  Act; and RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.

According to GAN, between 2014 and 2016, Remoroza issued cease and desist orders to the owners of 94 illegal structures in the NNNP; however, neither Rostata or Remoroza took action on the structures themselves, which GAN claims poses a risk to water sources in the area.

The group added, as the result of their continued failure, more structures are being built in the NNNP.

Rostata and the other officials cannot be reached as of press time./DGB, WDJ