SAYING that “invaders have left the area,” officials of the Masungi Georeserve have hailed Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. and his men for helping them win their battle following the two officials’ visit in the vast forest on Friday.

“Today, our forests won, like a long drought welcoming its first drops of rain. We found champions in DILG Sec. Benhur Abalos and PNP Chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. who have demonstrated that they are firmly on the side of environment protection and the safety of its defenders. Majority of the invaders were no longer around before the Secretary/s party came on-site,” the Masungi Georeserve said in a statement.

Prior to that, at least 14 security personnel from the Sinagtala Security Agency Services voluntarily left their place before Abalos and Azurin and his men inspected the roadside area said to have been illegally occupied by armed men along Kilometer 48 of the Marikina-Infanta Highway in Rizal province.

“Masungi Georeserve Foundation deeply thanks DILG Sec. Benhur and his staff for personally going to Lot 10, parts of Masungi Georeserve and the Masungi Geopark Project. With his commitment to protecting these areas, we look forward to working with him to bolster our efforts in reforesting and defending our conservation sites,” the group said.

“We also give our sincere appreciation to PNP Chief General Azurin, for his dedication to peace and safety by putting up a police detachment in our vulnerable areas. We thank as well PNP Calabarzon Regional Director Brig. Gen. Nartatez for confiscating the firearms in the encampment when others didn’t. This helped descale the situation,” it added.

Abalos and the PNP team led by Azurin were also joined by officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by Undersecretary Jonas Leones during the site visit.

Azurin promptly ordered his men to keep all areas of Masungi free of illegal occupants and declared that unauthorized security forces won’t be allowed to enter the place especially those being claimed by different parties, without permit from the PNP.

He said violators of his order would lose their licenses as he instructed Nartatez and Rizal Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, Colonel Dominic L. Baccay to ensure that uniformed policemen would be guarding the site round-the-clock to prevent unauthorized intrusions.

PNP-SAF acquired part of Baras land

The Journal Group on Friday learned that the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) has acquired some part of the georeserve in Baras, Rizal, for training its commandos.

The processing of the PNP-SAF property in Baras started in 2006 when the elite force was still headed by General Silverio D. Alarcio. Then-PNP-SAF logistics chief, Colonel Remus B. Medina was tasked by Alarcio to lead the processing of the papers.

On October 30, 2006, then-PNP-SAF director, Gen. Leocadio SC Santiago Jr. approved the survey plan in the area followed by a presidential proclamation signed by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on September 8, 2006, which allowed the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to occupy part of the georeserve.

Almost a year later or on August 13, 2007, President Macapagal-Arroyo also issued Presidential Proclamation 1355 which created and designated the Metropolis Star along South Superhighway in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

In 2008, the bidding and construction of a road network worth P100 million for the PNP-SAF Training Center was funded through the help of then-Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr.

In 2014, the DENR Protective Area Management Board approved the PNP-SAF Development Plan in the area. In 2017, a memorandum of agreement between then-DENR Secretary Gina Lopez and the Masungi paved the way for the expansion of the original area of Masungi from 1,627 hectares to 2,700 hectares.

In 2020, the BuCor headed by Director General Gerald Bantag started processing its claim in the area by conducting a relocation survey and annotating the Presidential Proclamation 1158 Original Certificate of Title 3556.

The Journal Group learned that in February 2021, then-PNP chief, Gen. Debold M. Sinas ordered the processing of the titling of the said PNP-SAF property in the area. The work was supervised by Medina, then the senior executive assistant to the PNP chief.

In May 2021, the annotation of Presidential Proclamation 1158 Original Certificate of Title 3556 regarding the claim of BuCor was made.

Medina denied any involvement in the Masungi Georeserve except that he was the one tasked by the SAF leadership in 2006 to look for an area where the SAF can put up a training school.

Azurin earlier said the PNP would look into accusations made by Ben Dumaliang, president of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, that Medina had put up resorts at the conservation site.

However, the top cop appealed to Dumaliang to provide them with more information regarding his claim.

Azurin on Friday ordered the Rizal PPO to fully secure the Masungi Georeserve Area and enforce all ordinances pertaining to the forest land in Tanay and Baras municipalities.

Abalos also ordered the police force to help demolish all illegal structures in the area as soon as possible.