Three persons have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly occupying and erecting permanent dwellings within the protected areas of the Upper Marikina River Basin in Rizal province.
NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor identified those arrested as Richie Cincoflores, Allan Seduco, and Rolly Olayaval.
After their arrest last Aug. 25, they were presented before the Antipolo City Prosecutor’s Office on charges of violations of Section 20 (n) and (o) of Republic Act No. 7686, the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, and Section 81 of Presidential Decree No. 705, the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, Distor said in a statement.
They were arrested and charged by agents of the NBI’s Environmental Crime Division (NBI-EnCD), the NBI said.
“OIC Director Distor said that based on the information received by the NBI, the above-named subjects are occupying, dwelling, constructing, maintaining permanent structures within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape covered under the National Integrated Protective Area System without the necessary permits,” it said.
Their illegal acts, the NBI said, were confirmed by “surveillance operations conducted by NBI-ECD.”
“The criminal offenses by the subjects were committed and is continually being committed in open view of the public,” it added.