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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DENR claims no trace of illegal activities in Sierra Madre landslide

DENR claims no trace of illegal activities in Sierra Madre landslide

Published Jun 17, 2022 11:45 pm

QUIRINO -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 claimed that there were no traces of illegal activities in Sierra Madre.

Photo from the DENR

Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the DENR issued the statement after conducting an investigation to determine the cause of a landslide which covers an approximate average width of 90 meters and total height of 1,592 meters above sea level.

The landslide took place at Sitio Diariong, Barangay Villa Gracia, Maddela, Quirino.

"The landslide incident was a natural occurrence due to heavy rains,” stressed director Bambalan.

The investigating team was composed of personnel from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices of San Isidro in Isabela and Nagtipunan in Quirino and the local government units of San Agustin and Maddela towns.

Bambalan added that the area is covered with mossy forest and limestone rock formation within the Quirino Protected Landscape.

She also noted that the team discovered bedrocks and boulders along the Sili Creek found at the foot of the incident area, and discolored flowing water from the top of the landslide site.

Bambalan also noted the absence of inhabitants or community in the area and that no traces of illegal activities were found in the site and nearby areas.

The investigators spent almost a week to reach the exact location of the landslide in the mountain.

The agency has yet to ascertain the condition of the uppermost area of the mountain and determine what possibly caused the landslide incident.

The DENR together with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau has scheduled aerial surveillance in coordination with proper authorities to identify what caused the landslide.

The DENR conducted the investigation after a netizen posted on his Facebook account photos of landslide with caption ‘Mahal naming Sierra Madre, bakit may sugat ka, sana’y huwag lumala ang sugat mo. Sanay mapansin natin ito.’

The post went viral in social media with 17,000 reactions when shared by Philippine Weather System/Pacific Storm Update.

Ervin Suguitan, employee of LGU San Agustin, Isabela and a freelance photographer of San Agustin Isabela took the photos on May 28 and posted them on his FB account on May 29.

“Naisipan ko lang na ipost noon kasi nababahala ako kasi noong nagpakita yan, naging chocolate ang Cagayan river sa amin,” he told the Manila Bulletin.

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