LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Mayor Romeo K. Salda assured informal settlers within the Puguis communal forest that due process will be observed in the enforcement of the recent ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) and pertinent laws, rules and regulations on the preservation and protection of the watershed from further encroachments.
He said that the municipal government will continue dealing with the informal settlers within the Puguis communal forest as part of its ongoing efforts to prevent further encroachments in one of the five remaining watersheds within the capital town to guarantee the forest cover that will help in mitigating the effects of climate change in the municipality.
The municipal chief executive disclosed that his administration expects the aggrieved parties in a recent decision of the high tribunal to appeal the decision upholding the legitimacy of the Puguis communal forest and dismissing their application for the titling of some 18 hectares in favor of the private individuals.
Mayor Salda stipulated that the local government will continue dealing with the informal settlers in the expanded area of the Puguis communal forest that is not covered by the SC ruling to ensure that private individuals that have illegally erected their structures will voluntarily demolish these and not to await for the demolition team to dismantle their illegal structures within portions of the watershed.
According to him, appropriate notices of demolition will be issued to those informal settlers who continuously defy previous issuances for them to volume truly dismantle their structures as part of the compliance of the municipal government to due process while efforts are also being done to prevent the further construction of more illegal structures within portions of the reservation.
He admitted there had been many private individuals who already demolished their illegal structures and had vacated the spaces they occupied which paved the way for the local government to implement the needed reforestation of the areas to help bring back the greenery of the major source of the town’s water supply.
Earlier, the High Court upheld the previous decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) that reversed a ruling of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) favoring the application for titling of the 18-hectare portion of the Puguis communal forest by the heirs of Evaristo Tiotioen.
However, the municipal government contested the lower court ruling until this was reversed by the CA for the alleged failure of the private applicants to show legitimate proof of ownership of the applied area and this decision has been upheld by the SC.
Salda asserted that the recent ruling of the SC will definitely send a clear message to private individuals that declared watersheds and reservations are not allowed for titling by private individuals as these belong to the State and that the very purpose of the watershed is to provide the forest cover for a sustainable source of water but also to help in mitigating the effects of climate change.