Earth guardians representing more than 100 community groups met recently to establish the Save Sierra Madre Network (SSMN) at the Isabela Provincial Hall, urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to form the proposed Citizens' Independent Investigating Team to investigate alleged corruption in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The SSMN represents a wide range of community interests, from Dumagat tribes, civil society associations, church groups and environmental institutes working throughout the Sierra Madre range.

“This is the first time that a broad network of local stakeholders, NGOs and enlightened government officials has come together to protect the Sierra Madre’s fragile forest ecosystems from destructive logging, mining and other extractive practices, and to bring to the public’s attention the adverse impact of climate change,” said Task Force Sierra Madre Chair Fr. Pete Montallana.

Montallana, Dr. Angelina Galang of Green Convergence (formerly of Miriam College), and Isabela Governor Grace Padaca are SSMN’s main convenors. Padaca has been waging an active anti-logging campaign in Isabela.

SSMN believes that “in a few years, our country could lose the remaining rainforests in the Sierra Madre as a result of the devastation brought about by the greed of a few, powerful individuals aided and abetted by corrupt government officials.

“SSMN concomitantly calls for cleansing the DENR ranks of corrupt bureaucrats who stand in the way of forest protection programs.”

Atty. Robert Chan of the Palawan Network of NGOs presented “Swift Justice,” advocating the training of citizen patrols that could enforce citizen arrests and equipment confiscation, instead of the traditional watch over already sawed and felled lumber.

Chan shared his own experience with Swift Justice: “A single chain saw can fell at least ten trees in a single night. My team legally confiscated 210 chainsaws in the course of our forest protection work in Palawan over the last 15 years. Consider the number of trees saved this way. Let us save the trees while they’re alive.”