‘Equip environmental law enforces’ netizen urged

The victim, Jun Pacdaan, 44, is a team leader of the Bantay Gubat of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) -Environmental Law Enforcement Division (ELED) and was accompanied by five other enforcers when the ambush transpired.

Netizens aired their sentiments on social media after the killing of Pacdaan in a remote area in Barangay Concepcion, Tuesday morning

Mel Casiano Ledesma of Barangay Sicsican said that city government workers especially those deployed in the field should be well-supported like provision of security for bantay gubat personnel, and equip them so that they can defend themselves.

“Sana complete din sila ng mga gamit para kahit papaano meron din sila panlaban para sa mga masasamang balak,” Ledesma commented.

Rodel Cojamco Valdez for his part said that police personnel should be the one deployed in the mountainous areas, while Romeo Agbon suggested that if local environmental enforcers are not accompanied by police personnel, they themselves should equip themselves with firearms.

“Dapat may armas kung walang kasamang pulis” Romeo Agbon, “Hopefully justice will be served with this unnecessary death of a person just rendering services for the protection of the environment,” he added.

Israel Demonteverde salute the heroism of the victim. He suggested that being a law enforcement operative, they should have firearms, because those engaged in illegal activities are heavily armed.

A member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Puerto Princesa in his social media post informed that they will study for possible provision of firearms for enforcers. Agnes Arcillas is concerned more on proactive measures that will somehow safeguard the safety of the local environmental law enforcers. She said that there shall be more measuresn“More measures for their safety sana,” she said.

While one Richard Reyes of Barangay Sicsican suggested that enforcers can deploy drone first as a means of surveillance before going into areas considered as those with presence of individuals engaged in illegal activities. “Para makita na ang paligid ng hindi na na sacrifice ang buhay nila” Reyes suggested.

In 2021, House Bill 6973 was filed in Congress, a proposed measures that seek to create an enforcement bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and empower it to issue firearm to forest guards and rangers.

In the Senate, the Environmental Protection and Enforcement Bureau (EPEB) bill known as Senate Bill No. 494 (SBN-494), was filed in 2022. The bill’s purpose is to create the EPEB under the DENR. However, both proposed measures are still pending.

Fernando Gomere Achumbre for his part said that this is about time to provide more protection for environmental law enforcers, and one significant step is to pass this pending bill into law. “Panahon na para ipasa ang nakabinbin na Bill, Environmental Protection and Enforcement para may protection ang mga Bantay Gubat,” Achumbre said.