Press Release - Transcript of Senator Risa Hontiveros intervention on the budget hearing of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS (SRH): On the Cancellation of the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc's or SBSI Protected Area-Community Based Resource Management (PACBRMA) , so, last week the DENR cancelled the PACBRMA of the Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc., or Bayanihan. I understand that DENR started investigating the violations of the agreement as early as 2019. It denied Bayanihan's Community-Based Resource Management Plan in 2019 for violations related to checkpoints and military-style training of its security. So even then, can you please confirm thi madam secretary?

Sec. Toni Yulo-Loyzaga: I wish to just clarify that what the DENR has issued was suspension of PCBRMA pending on our investigation now on the violations that were identified given the specific document that i have shared with you at this point yes indeed in the report, there were already observations and findings previously and I will turn over then the Undersecretary for Field Operations Mindanao for the clear recounting of chronology kiust to update the body, we had personally served yesterday evening at the site of the Kapihan the suspension it is also served by registered mail so as of yesterday they have received the suspension order in person and just to update, we are now in coordination with Secretary Benhur Abalos, Secretary Remulla of the DOJ, and Secretary Rex Gatchalian for an integrated approach to the investigations regarding this particular situation so there will be a meeting tomorrow between the secretaries, Secretary Benhur will however be in Basilan but he will be represented by an undersecretary and by the PNP representative. If I may, I'll turn over to Undersecretary Fragada for the chronology.

SRH: Thank you, secretary, before the Usec speaks also salamat din po sa pagsabi nyo na kayo nina Sec Remulla, Abalos at Gatchalian ay gagawa at hahanap ng integrated approach and that's also one of my follow up questions later.

Usec. Joselin Marcus Fragada: Good morning, Madam Chair, Your honor, we have a short chronology of events that we've submitted to your honor regarding the ongoings for the past year. As you mentioned, it is correct, in 2019, there was an investigation done actually