CCTV footage solves S. Osmeña ‘mystery’: Contractor ‘took’ missing trees

CEBU, Philippines - Denial versus closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

This is now the case of the 88 trees reported to have "mysteriously" disappeared from the center island of S. Osmeña Blvd. in Cebu City that is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

The project is being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways-7 through contractor WT Construction Inc., which both denied knowledge on the trees' disappearance.

Video footages of the road taken by Cebu City Command Center (C3) cameras showed WT Construction is actually the culprit behind the trees going missing, said C3 Chairperson and City Councilor Dave Tumulak.

Tumulak said that following the request of the Cebu City Council last week, they carefully reviewed yesterday morning CCTV recordings from March 28 to 31 and found out that WT Construction "was the one who removed the indigenous trees."

The trees were uprooted without coordination with the Community Environment and Natural Resources of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO-DENR) and the Cebu City Parks and Playground Commission (CCPPC).

"Tungod sa (Because of the contractor's) vehicle na-determine namo nga WT. Ilang gi-pison (They used a road roller) and gi-remove ang trees pag March 26 to April 1. The video speaks for itself," Tumulak told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 is issuing today a cease and desist order against DPWH-7 on the earth-balling of trees as part of the S. Osmeña Blvd. rehabilitation project.

 This developed after 88 of 145 trees that were approved for removal have gone "missing" after being removed last week without the presence of DENR and CCPPC representatives.

The order, though, does not stop the project, only the earth-balling of trees, which DENR-7 has previously approved.

"We would like to emphasize nga ang (that only the) earth-balling ra sa (of the) remaining trees ang ipa-stop, not the road project itself," said DENR-7 Information Officer Eddie Llamedo.

In a statement, DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said he already formed an investigating team to look into the matter.

Montejo said the incident merits a full-blown investigation, as those who are responsible should be held accountable and cases should be filed against the perpetrators. He said earth-balling does not constitute cutting of the trees, which needs prior authority from their head office.

Montejo the trees' root systems are sensitive and earth-balled trees should be replanted immediately to ensure a higher survival rate.

For Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the CCTV footages are evidence of the crime, but said the culprits should be presented before the authorities.

He said DPWH-7 "should know better about the missing trees," it being the implementing agency of the road project.

"Run after the perpetrators, but the public infrastructure projects need not have to suffer," he added.

After Tumulak informed her of the footages, City Councilor Nida Cabrera, City Council committee on environment chairperson, immediately rushed to Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area, where WT parked its heavy equipment, and to Barangay Tayud, Liloan town, WT's dumping site, in the hope of finding the trees, all to no avail.

Cabrera said they already confronted Engr. Adolfo Quiroga, WT Construction consultant, who denied any knowledge about the missing trees.

"We won't stop until we find the trees," Cabrera said, adding that the commission is set discussing the possibility of filing charges against WT Construction for violating environmental laws.

She said DPWH-7 has yet to acquire a permit for the removal of the 145 mostly fire trees, which were supposed to be earth-balled and transplanted at  the Senior Citizens Park and the Plaza Independencia near the Cebu City Hall,  as identified by the City Parks and Playground Commission.

Earth-balling is a process where the tree is uprooted along with most of its root system and the soil surrounding its base so it could be transplanted elsewhere to ensure its continued growth.

On the other hand, DPWH-7 Information Officer Marie Nillama said their agency already wrote a letter to WT asking for explanation on the disappearance of the trees.

Llamedo said the pruning or trimming of the 145 trees started last March 28 in preparation for the actual earth-balling, which should be supervised by DENR-7.

However, during the actual removal of the trees, no representatives from DENR and CCPPC were present.

DPWH 7 filed a request last March 19 with CENRO -Cebu City to earth-ball the trees as they would be affected by the road project.

In a  March 24 letter to DPWH-7 Director Ador Canlas, CENRO-Cebu City approved the removal of some 145 trees of different species after an inventory was made last March 20.

Mabolo Barangay Council officials also issued a resolution interposing no objection to the removal of the trees.

CENR0-Cebu City, however, emphasized to Canlas four conditions that should be met for the removal of the trees to proceed.

In the same letter, DPWH-7 was told that only the trees shown in the inventory report would be earth-balled, which should be strictly supervised by CCPPC and DENR. The earth-balled trees should also be transplanted to identified areas such as Mahiga Creek, San Pedro Calungsod Shrine, and the Barangay Lorega-San Miguel triangle; and that for every transplanted tree that would not survive, DPWH-7 would produce 100 seedlings having a diameter of 1.0 centimeter and a height of 2 meters planted in areas identified by DENR-7.  — /RHM (FREEMAN)