The Philippine National Police (PNP) is now checking on the possible involvement of either retired or active police officers in the land dispute at the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal following the encampment of armed men in the area on Sunday.
Right now, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said they are now coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to determine the basis of the alleged encampment of 30 armed men from a security agency.
Azurin said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benhur Abalos also tasked the PNP to find out the legal basis of all the claimants on the 400 hectare land area in Baras town of Rizal which is home to endangered flora and fauna.
The claim of ownership has been the subject of violent attacks in the area over the years. Last year, two forest rangers were shot while seven others were allegedly beaten by armed men.
"Our DILG Secretary actually tasked the PNP to coordinate with the DENR and other agencies to determine the legal basis and to identify the armed men," said Azurin.
Reports revealed that a retired police major is claiming ownership on a parcel of land at the Masungi Georeserve and some armed men are believed to be working for him.
"Definitely, we will also look at the possible involvement of policemen here, whether active or retired. We have to check on all of these things," said Azurin.
The Masungi Georeserve is an award-winning ecological preservation and is now a popular tourist destination in Rizal.
It was declared a protected area in 2011 but a number of settlements were already put up, including houses and resorts. Reports revealed that there are individuals and groups interested in the area due to its rich mining potential.
Azurin said they also want to know how some individuals and groups were able to obtain land titles in the area, considering that it is a protected area, and therefore is owned by the national government.
"We will check on the veracity of the documents and the signatures in the documents that gave individuals or groups perpetual ownership of parcels of land," said Azurin.
"I found it unusual that they were able to obtain perpetual ownership when it's a protected area. There must be something wrong with those documents, that's why we are coordinating with the DENR," he added.
Appeal
In a statement, the Masungi Georeserve urged President Marcos to closely look into the encampment of armed men as it revealed that they were roaming around the area.
The group said that the Masungi Georeserve is on a titled property of the Republic of the Philippines and part of protected areas as enacted by then President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. through Presidential Proclamation 1636 and Presidential Proclamation 573. The area is also part of Masungi’s conservation site.
The appeal of the Masungi Georeserve includes immediate arrest, prosecution, and removal of the invaders for trespassing, forcible entry, illegal possession of firearms, and violations of the NIPAS Law.
"Let us be clear: This is not a land dispute but a typical professional squatting and land grabbing operation on less than a government property," the statement read.
It said the DENR must also assign a competent, trustworthy, and passionate project manager from its end to help us resolve the persistent challenges in conserving the Masungi landscape in a sustainable manner.
The group said that the DENR must also crack down on possible anomalous acts, prosecute those responsible, and cancel these spurious instruments.
"There should be a thorough and independent investigation of why a survey plan was signed by a DENR Regional Director in the first place even if the land was already titled to the Republic. This is not an isolated case or incident. We have uncovered many similar survey instruments being used to sell our protected areas and forest lands. We have observed that many of these instruments have been issued in direct contravention of standing presidential proclamations and department orders," the statement read.
Unfortunately, these survey plans are being used to imply ownership and illegally occupy and trade lands. In this particular case, the land grabber’s signature —not that of the real owner which is the Republic — appears in a box reserved for the landowner. Finally, every time we report and expose these anomalies, we are attacked and gaslighted, our conservation project is undermined and questioned, and we are made to look like an enemy as an effort to divert from the real issues," it added.