Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged the Senate to conduct a probe into the recent slaying of two forest rangers of Masungi Georeserve in Barangay Pinugay, Baras, Rizal, who were shot at night amid heavy rains by still unidenfitied assailants.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 806, Hontiveros said a legislative inquiry into the July 24 killings is a must as it highlights the need for the government to provide ample protection to the country's forest guards.
“This violence is unacceptable. The Masungi forest rangers have dedicated themselves to preserving and defending our environment, but unscrupulous individuals have attempted to take their lives," Hontiveros said in filing the resolution.
"Bigyan natin ng hustisya silang mga puspusang nagbabantay sa ating kalikasan (Let's give justice to our dedicated forest guards)," Hontiveros said.
The senator noted that the incident occured at a ranger station near GSB Resort in Sitio San Roque. According to the Masungi Georeserve administration, the GSB resort illegally occupies a forestland in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape.
Hontiveros added that the attacks also come on the heels of a series of suspicious activities at the watershed, such as the illegal erectio of new structures.
There have been reported sightings of armed private guards in the area that claim to have bought and are cordoning off parts of the area for their private use.
“The need to protect our forest guards cannot be understated. The country only has 1 forest guard for every 4,000 forest hectares, despite the ideal ratio being 1 for every 500 hectares," she said.
Citing data from the Hansen Global Forest’s dataset, the lawmaker said only about 23-34 percent of forest cover is left in the Upper Marikina Watershed. This figure, she said, has continued to drop since its declaration as a protected area in 2011.
The senator also flagged the land-grabbing and deforestation activities in Masungi, which were suspected to have caused the severe flooding after the onslaught of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.
"Let’s be serious in our mission of preserving our environment, lest the Philippines lose more than we already lost,” Hontiveros said.
“These continued aggressions not only threaten the safety of the rangers but have also prevented restoration and protection efforts. Not taking care of our environment is tantamount to not taking care of our people,” the lawmaker stressed.