At least 20 persons have been caught by personnel of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan for allegedly occupying, building huts, and cutting down trees on a portion of the forest land of the facility.
“These intruders (who are claiming to be members of "Samahan ng Magsasaka") had been building huts, cutting small trees, and subdividing the land by putting up temporary fences and claiming the said portion of land without proper documentations or coordination with the IPPF,” the IPPF said in a statement.
The IPPF said its Quick Response Team (QRT) found the intruders last Monday, April 19, within the area of the Sta. Lucia Sub-Colony (SLSC), about 31 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City.
“The QRT immediately asked them to stop the illegal activity and requested them to go home and never to return until they can show legal documents to justify their claims,” it said.
It pointed out that based on the survey done by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DNR), “more or less 2 hectares of land had been destroyed/deforested.”
It also reported that last April 20, the QRT found several charcoal kilns and more trees felled down by the illegal settlers for charcoal making.
“The QRT confiscated more or less 15 sacks of charcoal and destroyed at least 3 charcoal kilns during the second day of operation,” it said.
Last April 21, the QRT discovered that hundreds of small to medium sized trees have been cut, it also said.
“The cut logs were confiscated and turned-over to the custody of SLSC for accounting and proper disposition,” it added.
It assured that IPPF’s head, Corrections Supt. Raul Levita, is “determined to continue this fight against professional squatters and/ or syndicated squatting in order to protect the land entrusted to the Bureau of Corrections.”