Coconut Farm operator Lionheart Agrotech Farm Philippines reported a new incident of illegal cutting of trees in Brgy. Ransang in the town of Rizal earlier this December. Around 19 trees were cut in the land rented by the farm and the people behind it belong to the family of Indigenous People Mandatory Representative Sarilan Puntas, according to a press statement sent by Lionheart to Palawan Daily News.
The statement also said that Puntas along with Dina Pascual with two more IP leaders are in one group opposing Lionheart operations in many issues since 2016. They also mentioned Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative of Brgy. Candawaga Godolito Delos Santos, Jr whose son is arrested for illegal cutting of trees earlier this year.
“It is with great sadness and disappointment we feel obliged to release information on this week’s illegal tree cutting within the area of our coconut farm in Barangay Ransang, Municipality of Rizal involving the family of IPMR Sarilan Puntas,” Lionheart press statement said.
Lionheart also said that the latest incident is another attempt by the group of Pascual to put the blame to their farm.
“The discovery of nineteen (19) cut trees on land rented by Lionheart and surrounding areas is yet another deliberate attempt by this group led by Miss Dina Pascual to pin such violations on Lionheart in an attempt to destroy the reputation of Lionheart,” statement said.
President Dina Pascual of Kalipunan Y Palaw’an, denied the said incident and since when they found out the said tree peeling and cutting, nothing is happening in their respected areas in Ransang, Puntas being involved is not true because he is the one after those behind the said illegal activities. Delos Santos story, according to Pascual, was way beyond and it was resolved already and has nothing to do with the current issue.
“Walang katotohanan po yan, simula po nung inimbestigahan ng DENR ang mga tauhan ng Lionheart wala ng gumagalaw sa gubat, at si IPMR ang isa sa humahabol sa kanila para makasuhan sila, gumagawa na sila kasinunglingan, taohan nila ang sumisira ng kagubatan,” Pascual said.
The issue of IP leaders and Lionheart sparked after they reacted to the documentary video posted last week of November by the said farm online, Lionheart also denied those allegations and issued a statement that they might consider filing a case to these leaders whom they call “bully”.
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