Mayor Ray Ruiz has issued a final notice to Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) to comply with the cease-and-desist instructions issued by the provincial government-created Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) to halt its earth-moving operations in Candoni, Negros Occidental.
The Candoni mayor issued his notice in a letter to Alfred Joseph Araneta, chief executive officer of HAPI, and its Board of Directors on Thursday, June 12.
“You have betrayed the confidence that was once extended in good faith. I urge you before irreversible consequences follow to make amends, comply, and restore accountability to your name,” Ruiz said.
“This is your final notice. You are hereby directed to immediately halt all earth-moving and related activities in your Candoni operations,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz also directed HAPI, which is setting up a palm oil plantation, to submit a response to the required environmental documents and plans to both the DENR and the municipal government within 15 calendar days from receipt of his letter.
Failure to do so shall compel the Candoni municipal government, in coordination with the provincial government and national agencies, to pursue available legal remedies, including filing of environmental cases, revocation of local clearances, and a request for suspension or cancellation of their Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), Ruiz said.
HAPI, which operates a reported 6,652.32 hectares of land in barangays Gatuslao and Agboy, Candoni, under an IFMA, has consistently violated key environmental laws, government regulations, and good faith agreements with the local government and the people of Candoni, Ruiz said.
These deficiencies have resulted in widespread environmental degradation, lack of mitigating measures, and serious soil erosion, Ruiz said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, in a letter to Region IV Director Ramar Niel Pascua of the Environmental Management Bureau , also requested EMB to issue a Cease and Desist Order against HAPI.
Forester Vicente Losbañes, head of the Enforcement Division of EMB 6, said in response to the letter of the governor their technical staff have been sent to Candoni to verify the situation.*