Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu today ordered an immediate investigation into the reported logging operations by the SODACO Agricultural Corp. in the Zamboanga Mountain Range believed to be the cause of flash floods and mudslides which killed dozens of people and destroyed agricultural farms at the height of Typhoon Vinta Dec. 22.
Shortly before the start of the Cabinet meeting today, I talked to Sec. Cimatu and reported to him my findings during a visit to the town of Sibuco last Jan. 4. and a helicopter fly-over on the portion of the mountains which have been deforested.
“I have formed a team to investigate not only what SODACO did in the Zamboanga but also in the Kalamansig-Lebak mountains,” Sec. Cimatu told me.
He was referring to the previous operations of the company believed to be owned by the super-rich Consunji Family.
Sec. Cimatu said he also received complaints from local leaders of Kalamansig and Lebak against the deforestation of their mountains.
The Zamboanga logging operations of SODACO has long been denounced by residents and leaders of the towns of Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon and Balinguian.
Granted by the DENR in 2006 with an Integrated Social Forestry (ISF), SODACO has been cutting down trees on the pretext of clearing the area for an oil palm plantation.
Sec. Cimatu said he will immediately take action as soon as he gets hold of the result of the investigation.
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