Stronger enforcement of green laws urged

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has called for stronger enforcement of environmental laws and greater cooperation between lawmen and other government officials under the Environmental Law Enforcement Task Force.

In a memorandum circular issued last October, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje directed law authorities to pool their resources and intelligence in pursuit of environment law violators.

He called for a team of government lawyers dedicated to pursuing charges against violators of green laws, noting that the DENR and the Office of the Solicitor General could forge a memorandum of agreement on such matter.

“[The] task force shall employ integrated approach in the enforcement of environmental laws from investigation to arrest, seizure and confiscation to prosecution,” Paje said in his three-page order.

It “shall mobilize quickly the investigative, technical and legal staff and resources of many diverse agencies in the investigation of a serious environmental violation or concern,” he said.

Paje called on members of the task force to share intelligence and resources. A database of environmental crimes and its perpetrators should also be established, he said.

The secretary asked the National Bureau of Investigation’s environment desk and the Office of the Ombudsman to institutionalize cooperation mechanisms between them.

“The task force shall establish mechanism for facilitating the pooling and exchange of resources and intelligence between different law enforcement and regulatory entities,” he said.

Paje’s order also passed the duty of heading the task force to a DENR official, the undersecretary for field operations, from the police.

The task force, which was created in 2009 by then Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, was headed by former Manila police chief Pedro Bulaong to strengthen the campaign against environmental law violations.

The agency is also responsible for crafting mechanisms to deter environmental crimes. –Kristine L. Alave, Philippine Daily Inquirer