‘Mafia’ in the DENR

Ben Contreras

THE City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office has a new head. His elder brother Willy Cuenca told me when our paths crossed at Centrio. Somebody claimed to know better and belied the report. But the former head of Clenro confirmed it over a radio program.

Armen Cuenca needs to prove his worth as the new Clenro chief. It’s a hot seat made even hotter when his predecessor Edwin Dael made a complete turnaround from being a protector of our environment.

In his initial statement, Cuenca was reported to have said he observed or may have uncovered recycled Delivery Receipts (DRs). Recycled DRs have been known and talked about. It was also denied several times by Dael. If there would be an investigation, a few are willing to testify and show proof.

Cuenca’s initial statement didn’t sit well with his predecessor. Asked to comment on it, Dael said Cuenca should have consulted him first before issuing such a statement. Funny though, Dael was one of those who voted to remove Ralph Abragan as Sulog’s representative to the local mining regulatory board without even hearing the side of Abragan. It was a “kangaroo court” initiated by Abragan’s allies during the heydays of Sulog and Save CDO Movement, a conspiracy that compelled me to resign from the two organizations. I see it as karma at work.

Dentist Bob Ocio posted a video report of DENR Undersecretary Luna when she came here early last year. Cuenca needs to review it. He would find it useful as Clenro chief. He should be reminded that there are people with an eagle’s eye on this particular issue.

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There’s this joke about Iligan City going through a political calamity because many of their city officials were suspended by the ombudsman while in Cagayan de Oro, we’re going through a judicial calamity because the ombudsman has been repeatedly TRO-ed by the Court of Appeals. A wry joke, all right, but it doesn’t speak well of the CA.

Moreno will go down in Cagayan de Oro’s history as the most controversial mayor with the most number of suspension and dismissal orders by the ombudsman. Our CA will also go down history as one who issued the most TROs in favor of a single individual. The public perception is that justice has a price.

Not to be outdone, our DILG regional office has been dragged down as the most inutile office compared to other DILG offices in the country. To have political biases is understandable but not to be an instrument to subvert justice.

The inevitable is afoot and the mouthpieces would soon be all noisy. But there would be a sigh of relief from some defenders, acknowledging that nothing is forever.

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We were informed that a new Department of Environment and Natural Resources director for Region 10 has been installed no less by the Environment Secretary himself. We heard that he is a straight guy but allegedly, he is a lackey of Mr. A who is a lackey of a former controversial Environment Secretary. Aha, the “mafia” at the DENR will continue to reign. Expect the anomalies in this institution to persist. The “mafia” inside is said to be very powerful.

Would a dependent Roy Cimatu last?