The City Environment and Natural Resources Office is asking the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic-Cordillera (IACT) to correct its supposed misleading Facebook post that accused its personnel of misuse of its impounded van.
CENR Officer Engr. Leandro de Jesus said the apprehended vehicle, which was used to monitor their National Greening Program project in Bokod, Benguet, has an application for registration that is pending in the Land Transportation Office.
In a Facebook post, which has since been removed, the IACT-Cordillera said its personnel apprehended the agency’s van without license plate along Ambuklao Road at Tiptop, Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet on Feb. 11.
The council said the Cenro employee was not able to show any pertinent document such as official receipt and certificate of registration of the vehicle, and upon verification of the apprehending team, it said the registration of the vehicle expired in 2016.
“Nadiskubre din ng team na ang nasabing sasakyan ay nakaalarma at may pending na kaso sa pagsasakay ng 61 pieces of narra lumber na nahuli sa Bokod, Benguet,” the post reads.
De Jesus, in his letter to IACT-Cordillera Chair Francis Ray Almora dated Feb. 12, clarified the vehicle was apprehended by the personnel of PNP-Bokod for illegally carrying 61 pieces of narra, and turned over to Cenro in 2017 for safekeeping pending the resolution of the case.
On March 25, 2019 an order was issued by the regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources -CAR in favor of the Cenro to use the vehicle in accordance to DENR Administrative Order 97-32 which contains the rules on administrative adjudication of illegal forest products and the machinery, equipment, tools and conveyances.
Also, the commuter van was given a vehicle clearance certificate by the Highway Patrol Group on April 3, 2019 that it is not included in the list of stolen vehicles nationwide.
“In view hereof, we are writing to appeal to you to immediately review and/or correct the said public post of IACT as well as to reprimand and cause administrative sanctions against the responsible employee who without verification and validation of the facts willingly posted on social media, which caused netizens to comment and to continuously bash DENR-CAR with malicious intent, a serious situation which tarnished our reputation,” de Jesus said.
“We are likewise asking the said responsible person to post a public apology both in social media and national newspapers accessible to the public to regain DENR-CAR’s destroyed reputation,” he added. – Ofelia C. Empian
April 27, 2024
