To the readers of this column, forgive the profane words, truth to tell is the subject of illegal logging more so if it hits home (and we are referring to the Baguio – Benguet pine tree), the subject simply gets me fired up and impassioned.
While this is not the first time I have expressed my views on the evils of those who engage in selfish and greedy criminal logging (the more appropriate term – criminal), likewise this paper on numerous occasions featured as its headline photos, headline stories, and also through its LG Komentaryo Section denunciations on criminal logging of the Benguet Pine Trees, under the strongest terms possible. In fact we have also made environmental protection as a secondary advocacy of the Linis Gobyerno (www.linisgobyerno.org).
To those dumb heads, or acting dumb heads who continue to engage in criminal logging, I can only say that you are among the most selfish people on the face of the earth. It is an undisputable fact that climate change is a reality and anyone who says otherwise, go get your head checked.
But what makes you criminal loggers truly selfish and greedy is you are also depriving the future generations your children and children’s-children the right to a good environment, to enjoy the benefits of a Benguet pine tree. Simply put, if you can do this criminal act knowing fully well that it will affect the future generations, how should I possibly refer to you? How can you even be trusted to hold political office? The words to describe you like asshole, shithead, greedy is not enough right?
Do not get me wrong, I am not some stiff head myself who cannot understand that a tree can definitely be of substantial help to a poor man. There is in fact this unwritten tolerance in Benguet and perhaps even in the whole of the Cordillera or even at other parts of the country that one is allowed or tolerated to cut a tree for as long as he will use it for his own home. Meaning, for his and his families personal benefit. I have nothing against this unspoken or unwritten rule. I agree with it 100%. Of course the house should be modest and not a mansion or a resort, like what some asshole politico(s) etc are doing.
It is not tolerated if you cut trees for commercial purposes. You sell and transport pine wood to Baguio City for commercial purposes is a BIG NO NO. You cut pine trees to develop your property together with the road leading to your (self –proclaimed property ) is a BIG NO NO. You cut young pine trees those in the diameter of from 6 to 11 inches for supply to the camote miners is a BIG NO NO.
TO HELL AND BULLSHIT TO THOSE WHO SAY YOU HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS, WHAT PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHEN “YOUR PROPERTY” IS A MERE TAX DECLARATION??? AND EVEN IF YOUR PROPERTY IS A TITLED ONE AT THAT, THERE ARE PERMITS ONE CAN AVAIL OF. THE THING IS, WHAT ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHERE IS YOUR LEGAL RIGHT TO ROB THEM OF A DECENT ENVIRONMENT AND/OR THE APPRECIATION OF A PINE TREE ???
In fact, I found all the noise being made by the oppositors at the SM Tree cutting to be highly questionable, when in fact it was done legally by SM in compliance with our laws. Apparently, this very same noisy- feeling environmentalists (not all but most of them) failed and refused to condemn and get involved with the rampant criminal logging ongoing around Baguio. Look at Itogon and Tuba! Is this not the height of hypocrisy?
Now you tell me, what the fuck is the difference between a Baguio Pine tree or a Benguet Pine tree?? At least with this columnist (modesty aside) I have together with my better half personally acted as private complainants in at least two instances for violation of PD 705 (Illegal Logging) that are currently being heard at the super-snail paced Benguet courts. In the process, we have spent quite a considerable amount of our personal resources (time and money), and we are also a witness to the Prosecution of another violation for PD 705 (Illegal Logging) against some supposed to be somebodies (as they imagine themselves to be) in Baguio’s society.
Given this unfortunate experiences with this type of Criminal Loggers, we will now do our best to raise funds, to secure grants in order to be able to strengthen this advocacy.
To those noise makers, this much I can say. Why not show your love for Baguio and the Cordilleras and invest in the future generations by putting your money where your mouth is!
