The information indicting officials and employees of two corporations involved in the poisoning of 45-mature Benguet pine trees along Legarda Road, Baguio City last year is now in court.
In a criminal information, Assistant Benguet Provincial Prosecutor Sheryl Anne Paoad-Cabantac found probable cause to indict 12-officers and employees of Gateluck Corporation and Greatzone Enterprises for violating the Environment Code of Baguio City.
Section 226, paragraph “c” of the ordinance prohibits killing of trees by boring.
In March or April, 2019 along Legarda Road, six officers of Gateluck Corporation authorized the destruction of 45-Benguet pine trees along Legarda Road.
The trees were valued at P770,662.40. Forest charges, on the other hand, amounted to 32,489.60, pegging total damages at P803,152.
An officer and five employees of Greatzone Enterprises were also indicted for boring and drilling holes in the trees and infusing poisonous substances causing the trees to die.
“The death of these 45-trees was to the detriment and prejudice of the city government of Baguio,” the criminal information read.
The Baguio Prosecutor’s Office earlier dismissed the complaints citing failure on the part of the city government to prove that officials of Gateluck Corporation ordered the poisoning of the trees.
The Benguet Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the complaint after Magalong filed a motion for reconsideration and filed a supplement affidavit where security guards of Great Zone Enterprises, contractor of Gateluck Enterprises said that they were ordered to poison the trees. – Aileen Refuerzo and Jessa Mardy Samidan
