The case involves a 1.7-hectare area out of the 24-hectare forest cleared by INC in Barangay Maasin, which the DENR claimed was undoubtedly outside the firm’s tree cutting permit. The DENR issued a one-year special tree cutting permit to INC in May last year as a part of its mineral production sharing agreement with the agency. Former Environment secretary Regina Lopez cancelled the company’s environmental compliance certificate on Dec. 16, 2016, rendering its tree cutting permit invalid. INC earlier insisted the tree cutting permit remained valid since it had filed a motion for reconsideration on the cancellation of its ECC. “Granting without admitting that INC’s tree cutting permit was valid, the DENR has a strong case against the company on the 1.7-hectare cleared area,” said DENR Mimaropa regional director Natividad Bernardino.

Source: The Standard July 16, 2017 12:45 UTC