The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday clarified that as early as March, the agency has already ordered a scion of the wealthy Zobel de Ayala clan and her group to vacate timberlands within a government protected area in Taytay, Palawan.
Henry Adornado, DENR-MIMAROPA regional director, said that on March 3, community environment and natural resources officer (CENRO) Allan Valle had issued a notice to vacate to the group of philanthropist Beatriz Zobel de Ayala for violation of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System or E-NIPAS Act of 2018.
The agency said the group illegally occupied and built structures within the disputed area.
Adornado reacted to "misleading news reports that the agency, particularly the CENRO and the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape, had not acted on the matter."
“The PAMB has neither accepted from the respondents any application for tenurial instrument nor approved any construction of structures in the said area,” he said.
The philanthropist and her group violated Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines prohibiting occupation of timberland areas without proper tenurial instrument issued by the DENR.