By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A former councilor of Negros Occidental’s Sagay City may face charges for alleged illegal cutting of trees under the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

A complaint filed with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office said Charlie Añalucas of Sagay City, a beneficiary of the NGP, that the trees he planted covered a total of 89 hectares in Barangay Celestino Villacin in the province’s Cadiz City and inside the Northern Negros Natural Park, was cut down by the former official on August 29.

A ground survey of a composite team will be conducted at the site on November 16.

The cut logs are now in a protected area under the Northern Negros Natural Park.

A copy of the complaint points to former Sagay councilor Samson Añalucas as the one behind the alleged cutting of trees in the protected area./DGB, WDJ